Dr. Charles Herbert Flowers, Tuskegee Airman

Charles Herbert Flowers, namesake of our school, was a Glenarden resident, who was born in Wadesboro, North Carolina. After graduating in May of 1942 from the Army Air Corps Flight Training Center located at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he became the first African American with military training to become a primary flight instructor of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen were the best because Tuskegee Institute only accepted those who met extensive physical and mental qualifications. These men, while fighting for America, also fought for themselves, their children, their culture, as well as, every American citizen, in hope that their country would accept Americans of all colors as first class citizens. During World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen served with distinction, and were honored by the Congress of the United States with the Congressional Gold Medal.

After the war, Dr. Flowers completed his college degree in Business Administration at what is now known as North Carolina Central University. While at Central, he became the first student government president. He later moved back to Maryland, and in 1965 he went to work for NASA at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt. He retired as the Manager of Employee Relations in 1990. While retired he kept himself busy and active in the community and at his church, Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Lanham, Maryland. Through his church, he mentored children at James McHenry Elementary School and Thomas Johnson Middle School. Additionally, he worked with the Youth in Aviation program in this area, and was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

In 2000, Dr. Flowers became the only living person to have a school named after him in Prince George’s County Public Schools. In 2006, the historic Tuskegee University, founded by Booker T. Washington in 1881, bestowed upon Charles Herbert Flowers an honorary Doctorate in Public Service.

Married to Wilhelmina Flowers since 1943, he was blessed with four children – Carolyn, Yvonne, Charles Herbert Flowers III, and Roderick. He was the grandfather of six and great grandfather of eleven.

Mrs. Helena Nobles-Jones (Founding Principal)

Helena Nobles-Jones was born, reared and educated in Kinston, North Carolina. She was the third of eight daughters born to the late Leroy and Hazel Nobles. Although her father, a sharecropper, was forced to leave school in the third grade, he always had a desire to learn. Within the household, he stressed the importance of finishing school and earning the highest grades possible. As a result of his influence, Mrs. Jones was valedictorian of her high school class. Her academic record and SAT scores earned her a state scholarship, which she used to attend North Carolina College. She credited her teacher, the late Alice Hubbard for insisting she use her God-given ability to stay ahead of her class, read every classic she could find, and make the grades to qualify for a scholarship. According to Mrs. Jones, other than her family, Mrs. Hubbard was her greatest cheerleader, encourager, role model, and supporter.

While in college, Mrs. Jones was a member of many organizations including the Student Government Association, Thespian Club, the National Education Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Because of her impeccable record, the Dean of Women selected her to be a senior advisor for freshman women. Parents and the Dean of Women honored her for outstanding leadership, while she served in this role.

Mrs. Jones was one of six national winners of a Ford Foundation fellowship to attend The Ohio State University, where she received her Master’s degree. She was a Danforth and Rockefeller fellow, and participated in programs of study at prestigious universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Vanderbilt.

She spent 32 years in the District of Columbia Public Schools system as an English teacher, Dean of Girls, assistant principal, and principal before retiring as an assistant superintendent. She earned a reputation for being a tough, but loving principal who believed that schools must educate children, and at the same time build character through discipline.

Mrs. Jones returned to education as a principal from 1998 to 2000 at Northern High School in Baltimore City. In 2000, she was approached by former Prince George’s County regional super- intendent Marcus Newsome about coming to Prince George’s County to open Charles Herbert Flowers High School.  At Charles Herbert Flowers High School, she vowed to honor and uphold the legacy of the school’s namesake, Dr. Charles Herbert Flowers, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Her “passion” for learning was the driving force behind the numerous accomplishments of the students and staff at the “Mecca of Excellence.”

An esteemed educator, Helena dedicated 46 years of service to education. She appeared on local, national and international television programs, including CBS’s Face the Nation, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN Global, and C-Span. Articles about her have appeared in The Washington Post, Afro-American, Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, The Gazette and the Prince George’s Journal.  She also served as the keynote and guest speaker at numerous schools and churches throughout the country.

Throughout her career, she was the recipient of many local and national awards. Her two most notable awards included the prestigious Reader’s Digest’s American Heroes in Education award and The Washington Post’s Distinguished Principal of the Year for Prince George’s County in 2005.  In 2012, the Prince George’s County Board of Education voted to grant the request of the Charles Herbert Flowers High School community to name the auditorium at the school in her honor.

Mrs. Jones passed away on Wednesday, March 15, 2017. She was the widow of her dear friend, husband and retired educator, Tony Jones and the proud mother of Kyva Jones, who works with Guilford County Public Schools in North Carolina.