The first public school for African Americans in Orlando was formed in 1895 and housed in a building on the corner of Garland Avenue and Church Street. The school was renamed Johnson Academy and moved to a new building on the corner of Parramore Avenue and Jefferson Street. In 1921, a brick Colonial Revival building was constructed on the corner of Parramore Avenue and Washington Street at a cost of $34,000. The school was renamed for the final time in honor of L. C. Jones, a longtime school principal and donor of the property. It was a member of the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association. In 1952, the school moved west of downtown to its current location on Rio Grande Avenue. A new campus consisting of a two-story academic building, separate buildings for science, technology, and music, an administrative building, cafeteria, gymnasium, media center, and dedicated historical museum was constructed during the period 2001–2004. During construction, students attended classes in portables across the street from the campus. The new campus was opened for the start of the 2004–2005 school year. In 1988, as part of a schoolwide project, Jones entered the Guinness Book of World Records for creating the World's Largest Box of Popcorn. Aided by a propane-powered air popper designed by engineering students from the University of Central Florida, Jones students popped of popcorn. Orville Redenbacher, whose company donated the unpopped corn, mentioned the feat during a broadcast of the now-defunct Pat Sajak Show.
Academics
Jones High School is an International Baccalaureate World School, offering the Diploma Programme for juniors and seniors and the Middle Years Programme for freshmen and sophomores in articulation with Memorial Middle School. Jones High students may also enroll in its Medical Arts Magnet Program or in an advanced studies program of multiple Advanced Placement courses. AP Courses offered include Art History, Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, European History, French Language, Human Geography, Music Theory, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Psychology, Spanish Language, Statistics, Studio Art, United States Government and Politics, United States History, and World History. Selected students who show academic promise who are also among the first in their families to go to college are invited to participate in the Advancement Via Individual Determination Program.
Extracurriculars
The Marching Tiger Band is well known throughout the Central Florida area. They marched in the 1976 United States Bicentennial Parade in Washington, DC, 2003 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, prior to Macy's they also marched at the 2002 Boscov's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia. The band also performed at WrestleMania XXIV, playing John Cena's entrance theme music "The Time Is Now". In 2016 the Marching Band performed in the washing dc parade, and were told that they could participate any year that they wanted to. In 2018 the Wind ensemble and the choir went to New York and performed at Carnegie Hall.
Athletics
Jones High fields varsity sports teams in baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, flag football, football, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, volleyball, wrestling, and weightlifting. The Jones High boys basketball team won the Florida 3A state championship in 2006 under Coach Jerry Howard. The girls basketball team has won two Florida state championships, in 2004 under Coach Jimmy Mincy, and in 1997 under Coach Kelvin Harris.
