WHEATFIELD—The dictionary defines “vanguard” as “the leading position in a field of endeavor.”

Elizabeth Jones, 18, of Wheatfield, has won a Vanguard Award for all of New York State, for students enrolled in career and technical education programs not traditional for their gender.

The Niagara Wheatfield High School senior was recognized in late February in Albany by the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society and the Association of Career and Technical Education Administers.

Jones is in the Security and Law Enforcement program at the Niagara Career and Technical Education Center. She was nominated by teacher Lee Gillingham.

“I am so happy and proud of her,” Gillingham said. “This is very competitive. There were hundreds of applicants, and she was in the top. It’s fantastic that she won.

“She’s very deserving of this award, and she has really stepped up to the plate in this program. I anticipate great things from her.”

Jones was excited and shocked when she got word that she won.

“They announced it at the career and tech center, and I just remember thinking, ‘What did they say?’ It’s such a good feeling knowing I made it that far.”

She will attend Canisius College in the fall, where she’ll major in biology and minor in criminal justice, with plans to go into forensics.

“I’m really glad I took this program at Orleans/Niagara BOCES—it’s given me all the basics in criminology to prepare me for college,” Jones said. “It’s been great.”

Why did you pick security and law enforcement?

Well, when I was younger, first I thought I wanted to be a teacher because I admired my teachers at school. Then as

I got older, I wanted to be a lawyer. This was because everyone always says, ‘I’m a good liar, and I can make people listen to what I have to say.’

And you have a sense of humor—then what happened?

Then I started to watch “CSI” a lot, and I just love those shows. I like to figure out mysteries. I loved the game Clue, and I always won. So when I heard about the BOCES program in 10th grade at Niagara Wheatfield High School, I was able to find out about all different programs, and I saw that they had a law enforcement class. When I was able to hear what the teacher had to say, showing us all the exciting things—like how to fingerprint and crime scene investigation —and I’d get to learn it all, this had me hooked. This was the class I had to take.

I love the adventure. I don’t just want to sit behind a desk, day in and day out. I want to be out there, having new things to see and different crimes to figure out.

So no “veal-fattening pen” office for you—what would be your dream job?

I’d have to say that my dream job would be probably working for the FBI or CIA. I would like to get up into the federal level, because then you’re a special agent, and the pay is better, and I’ll have more crimes, since they’d go international, too. The CIA is about being able to protect the president, very important to the country, and I like to do things with responsibility.

How have you done well in school?

I really don’t have any secrets to achieving good grades, and doing what I’m told. My mother just has always told me that on my report cards, my grades could never be less than a 75. If they were, I’d get something taken away. So I always made sure that never happened. I also take pride in having good grades and doing well in school, so I didn’t want anything to falter. I keep everything up, even in my senior year. All my grades are above a 90.

How did you win your award?

My teacher at BOCES, Lee Gillingham, came up to me one day and said he thought I’d be great for the Vanguard Award. He said I have to fill out my part of the paperwork, and he had his part, too. We both had our parts looked over to ensure it was up to par and that I’d have a better chance at winning.

After editing, finally the due date came, we sent it in, then we had to wait. After finding out later I was a winner—my teacher showed me an e-mail— I guess I was just in shock.

Earlier in my senior year at BOCES, I was also inducted into the National Technical Honor Society, so I’ve just had a lot of honor things going on, everything hasn’t fully hit me.

Tell me about your family?

My mom and dad, Wendy Jones and Timothy Jones Sr., have now been married 19 years.

When I first was born, we lived with my dad’s parents, Ginger Jones and Doug Jones. This was because my mom wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, and they just got married a year before I came along, so mom and dad needed a little help. So I lived on Lower Mountain Road in Sanborn. I loved living there. I was able to spend time with my grandparents, and my cousins would come over a lot, so I always had someone to play with. Then when I was 3, my mom had my little brother, Timothy Jr. He was a pain. Now I had to share my attention. That was no fun. But now that I am 18, and he’s 14, we get along pretty well. We still have “our days,” but not as much as we did before. I also have a little sister named Samantha. Right now she’s 9, and we’re nine years apart. I love both my siblings, and they love me, too.

But we didn’t live in my grandparents’ basement forever. We moved out when I was 5 and my brother was 2, because my mom was taking care of my great-aunt. She needed full-time care, so we all moved in with her, and when she died, my grandmother “gifted” the house to my mom. So I’ve been living for 14 years now in the Town of Wheatfield.

Any hobbies?

I don’t like to play sports. I mean with my friends, it’s OK, but I did play basketball when I was younger. That didn’t last long. What I love to do is ride four-wheelers—ATVs—and snowmobiles. I’ve been around them all my life.

I enjoy snowmobiling because it’s the only thing that my dad and I enjoy together. It’s more of a “me-and-him” thing. I’m a lot like my dad, we’re both redheads. Other than that, I really don’t have time for anything else, other than hanging out with friends when I’m not at work at Arby’s, because that’s what I usually do—I have work and school, and with free time I try to either go riding or hang out with my friends.

Your goals?

I want to graduate from high school, go to college, finish college with high grades, get a job in the career field I’m interested in, work my way up to my dream job, find that special someone, own a house, boat, car, four-wheeler and snowmobile, start a family and enjoy life. That’s what I want to accomplish in the future.

Your advice to other girls?

My advice to every other girl who wants to prove they can do anything a man can, is just to go for it, head-on. For everyone else, just try to be yourself, and never let others tell you what you are capable of. You’re the one who chooses your future, not your friends.

Have an idea for who would make a good question-and-answer subject? Write to: Louise Continelli, Q&A, The Buffalo News, P. O. Box 100, Buffalo, NY 14240, or e-mail

lcontinelli@buffnews.com