Schaumburg 13-year-old wins 'Top Scholar' honors from Pop Warner

Though only 13 years old, Schaumburg's Mike Jones already knows there's more to learning than what's found inside a classroom.

Don't misunderstand, Mike loves school, and he's taking high-school level engineering courses over the summer at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates. But he volunteers and embraces being a leader playing football and basketball.

Playing for the Hoffman Estates Hawks Pop Warner football team, he stays motivated in the classroom because he wants to stay on the field. He's a straight-A student.

"If you're an athlete in Pop Warner, you know you need to get grades or you can't play," he said. "So it kind of drives me."

Pop Warner took notice of that drive recently, naming him the top seventh-grade scholar in the country, based on his efforts inside and outside the classroom.

His mother, Terri Jones, joked with her son and husband, Mike Jones Sr., that her son had a better chance at being struck by lightning than winning.

"I almost fell out of my chair," she said.

Mike wears No. 34, a tribute to Bears great running back Walter Payton. He plays Sweetness' position, as well as linebacker on defense.

His mother says her son is competitive and a natural leader. She pointed to his focus and determination in school and sports.

"He tries his best to give 100 percent no matter what it is," she said.

Pop Warner selects 35 first-team scholars per grade level from almost 10,000 applicants among the 400,000 kids who participate in Pop Warner. Mike won the honor as a sixth-grader, his first season playing in Pop Warner, and as a seventh-grader, then was chosen from that group as top seventh-grade scholar, winning a $500 scholarship. This year he'll be an eighth-grader at Addams Junior High School in Schaumburg.

His mother said their motto is to "hit hard, study harder." She spits out his stats like a computer, sharing how many yards he rushed, his touchdowns scored and even his defensive numbers. Maybe that's where he got his love for math.

What separates Mike from most model students is his life outside the classroom. He volunteers at the Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 nature center behind Frost Junior High School in Schaumburg.

And yet, he says, "There's always room from improvement," using his trademark optimism.

Despite time filled with sports, school work and volunteering, Mike still finds time to play with friends. And once in a while, he'll fire up his PlayStation 3 for some "Rock Band," but his mom said he isn't chained to the sofa playing video games for long hours.

Mike's bedroom shows off his hometown loyalty: It's painted navy blue and orange, with the focal point a giant-sized Fatboy decal of Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, along with autographed photos from players including Lance Briggs. The family's mailbox is even shaped like a Bears helmet.

Mike has played organized football for seven years and hopes to play high school basketball and football.

As far as college, his aim is to use his love for math, studying architectural engineering.

"At the Ohio State University," he said, emphasizing "the."

And even though he didn't get to keep the giant check they had him pose with at the award banquet, Mike and his family said it was a great experience.

"He is one step closer to Ohio State University," his mother said.

That could be good news for the Buckeye state, which is bracing for the possible departure of basketball icon, LeBron James, perhaps to the Bulls.

"Everyone's saying he's coming, but I think he's staying in Cleveland," Mike said.