Special to the WJH
First Baptist Church was proud to bring Waycross native Jorel “JFly” Flynn” back home Monday, October 20 to speak with students at Waycross and Ware County Middle schools.
Flynn encouraged the students to dream big and to go after those dreams. He related his quest to become a drummer and how important education is to reaching goals.
Now a heavyweight in music production, Flynn related how he couldn’t read music, yet he still chased the dream. He told students he was almost finished with college in an unrelated musical field when a big opportunity opened up for him.
He said he took advantage of that opportunity, but knew he needed to complete college. After that opportunity, he went to Berklee College of Music, learned to read music, graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts Studies and the rest is history as Flynn has worked with some of the music industry’s most notable artists.
Included in that journey was his creation in 2009 of “How Big is Your Dream!?” Foundation, Inc., which provides mentorship and resources to aspiring students seeking careers in the entertainment industry.
His dedication to education is further exemplified by his role on the Georgia Tech School of Music advisory board, where he helps ensure that music technology remains relevant and innovative.
JFly’s philanthropic efforts have earned him recognition in Georgia, including proclamations as an Outstanding Georgia Citizen from the Secretary of State. His commitment to uplifting the next generation of artists and fostering creativity in his community continues to inspire all who encounter his work.
The auditoriums were full of attentive students who were engaged in Flynn’s presentation. He spoke of how happy he was to have the opportunity to come back to his home town and speak to the young people of the community.
He told students to stay true to themselves and their dreams and gave God all the glory, and even when teachers seem hard on you, they’re really just trying to get you to reach your potential. Many of the students participated by sharing their dream.
It was the speaker’s first grade teacher, Lisa Everett Durrence, who suggested to her church leadership bringing the artist to the middle schools. He had kinds words for her.
“I thought she didn’t like me, but now I know she was pushing me to reach my potential ... I didn’t know I was one of her favorites!”
Durrence said, “Jorel was mischievous like students can be, but always did his best and tried ... “I am so very proud of this young man.”
The principals at both schools were elated to have their students hear Flynn.
“Having Jorel “JFly” Flynn visit Ware Middle School was truly an inspiring and unforgettable experience for our students,” Ware Middle’s Dr. Adriuna Johnson said. “His energy, authenticity, and passion for empowering young people to dream big made a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. It was especially powerful to see a Waycross native who has reached incredible heights in the music industry return home to invest in the next generation. We are deeply grateful to First Baptist Church for sponsoring this event and for their continued partnership in creating meaningful experiences for our students.”
Added Hitt: “Your words on dreaming big and doing the work needed to realize those dreams were inspirational and exactly what our students needed to hear. More importantly, our students heard this from a person who grew up in the same neighborhood they did, went to the same schools, played in the same parks and went to church in the same area that they are in now. To know that achieving dreams regardless of where you start was a very important lesson for them and will undoubtedly inspire them to chase their own dreams.”
