Triniim Jones used his math skills on his scorecard during our outing at The Bridge in August.
Each month we are interviewing one of the young men in our after school program. This month we meet Triniim Jones.
Tell us about your family and other important people in your life.
I live with both of my parents in Harlem, and I have four siblings (1 sister, 15; 3 brothers, 29, 22, 9). I am the second youngest.
What is your favorite subject in school, and why?
I like math because it just comes naturally to me. Right now, I’m taking geometry. I passed my Algebra 1 Regents exam one year early, in 8th grade instead of 9th. I elected to take the test early.
What do you want to be when you grow up, and why?
I want to be an engineer because I’m good at math and science, and I think it would be cool to build my own machines like game consoles, computers, TVs, etc.
What do you like about being a part of The Bridge Golf Foundation? How has it made an impact in your life?
I like that the Foundation’s staff is teaching us golf and incorporating the science behind the sport, which makes it educational and fun at the same time. If I hadn’t become a part of this program, I don’t think I would have scored as high as I did on my Algebra and Living Environment Regents exams. Just having the extra time to prepare in the program was a big help.
Besides golf, what is your favorite sport to play?
I’m not really into other sports, but now I can see myself playing golf for fun in the future.
Which STEM lesson or area of study has been your favorite so far?
The most memorable activity for me was when we hit shots on the range and analyzed the data. The idea that physics is taking place on every shot, even if most golfers don’t think about it, is an interesting thing to me.
What is your favorite trip since joining the program? We’ve been to a lot of great places – The Bridge in Bridgehampton, PGA Championship, USGA Museum and Test Center, City College, Camp Getaway, and more.
My favorite trip was when we went to Club Getaway. I enjoy thrills. We climbed a 40-foot-tall tree, and I jumped down like a boss. And we played a really fun game called Ga-Ga Ball, where we were in a ring, hitting a ball with our hands; if it hit you below the knee, then you were out.
What’s the strongest part of your golf game right now?
Putting is the strongest part of my game. It’s so simple, you just swing the club back and forward, you don’t have to turn or move your hips or anything. When I’m putting, I try not to think. I try to get the putt done as fast as possible. I line it up, take one practice stroke, and then I hit the actual shot.
One fact about you that nobody in our program knows?
I have a pet cat named Shadow. He’s a year old.
Favorite sports teams/music/video games/books?
I like to read fiction – fantasy and adventure books. I liked the Percy Jackson series. I like to play multi-player fighting video games with storylines. Also, I like to play sports video games, even if I don’t like to play the sport. For example, I play NBA 2K17, but I don’t really have a desire to play basketball.
How has Character Education impacted you as an individual in and out of our program?
It has helped me become a better person. I used to be a much cockier person. Now, I’m a lot less likely to put other people down. It has made me think about other people more. We learned about philanthropists, and how they give without expecting anything in return. Now I know that we should be the type of people who give freely and don’t expect a reward in return.