Editor’s note: The following is the second of a 10-week series, “Senior to Senior,” where a River Parishes high school 12th grader profiles one of his or her peers.

EDGARD — West St. John High School senior Lyre’ Jones is driven as a student in the classroom and as a positive influence in her community.

The 18-year-old is facing many decisions similar to her peers, such as where she is going to college, what she is majoring in and what she wants to do with her life.

“I do not want to limit myself to just one career,” Jones said. “I know I’m an intelligent person and I can be successful in anything I put effort into. After high school, I plan to attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and double major in marketing and business.”

Jones hopes to one day own a major corporation in the marketing field. She knows she wants to make enough money to support her family and she wants to inspire others.

“I feel strongly about bullying and teenage drug use,” she said. “I feel that no person should ever have to feel like their life is worthless. Being a victim of bullying when I was younger, I want to set an example that shows that anyone can overcome harsh times and succeed in life.”

Jones said she loves English, learning about new things and discussing different forms of literature with her classmates. She loves debating her classmates about any topic as a way to challenge herself.

She credits her grandmother and mother with making her the person she is today.

“My grandmother is the wisest person I know,” she said. “Most people in my generation don’t understand the importance of speaking to their elders. I visit my grandmother almost every day.

“My mother does everything for me and takes care of me, and I do what I can to try to make things easier for her. She supports me in everything that I do and she’s more than just a mother. She’s my rock, my structure and, most of all, my best friend.”

Waking up every day to see her mother work hard motivates her, she said.

“When I look at my siblings, I see myself at their age,” Jones said. “Every day I encourage and help my siblings with schoolwork, as they hope to do as well as I have. In actuality, I hope my siblings become better than I am. I want them to do the best they can in everything they do.”

Jones is currently ranked fourth academically in her senior class.

“Though my school is very small and there are only about 40 graduating seniors, I consider this a great achievement,” she said. “It’s something that I dreamed about, but never thought would actually happen. It’s surreal to me.”

She recently competed for 12th Grade Student of the Year and has been a part of as many organizations as she could, from the Student Government Association to National Honor Society.

She also has big plans for the future.

“In 10 years I want to own a major corporation in the marketing field,” Jones said. “I will not only be able to support my family but be able to create opportunities for others.

“Everything I work for today is not only for myself but for others. I want to be charitable and give back.”

— By Michael Sanders