The N. Quentin and Elizabeth McBride Jones Perseverance Award was established in 1997 by their sons to commemorate their commitment to both education and athletic achievement/participation. This is an annual scholarship of $500.00 that is awarded to a Lincoln High School graduate who has achieved better than a B grade average and has participated in an individual sport (track, golf, swimming, wrestling, etc.) during his/her high school career. Emphasis is placed, not on being a stand-out performer, but in a person's work ethic and persistence in achieving the most of his/her academic and athletic abilities.
The scholarship was created to honor N. Quentin Jones and Elizabeth McBride Jones, both of whom taught for extended periods in The Thief River Falls education system. Quentin taught and coached from 1942 - 1972 while Elizabeth's tenure was 1958 - 1975. Both were dedicated educators who both demanded and successfully induced their students and athletes to attain and to exceed their potential. This was done by encouraging hard work, persistence, and the dedication to achieving realistic goals. Both emphasized effort exerted in the attempt to achieve goals rather than the final results. Both went to great ends to provide opportunities to their students/athletes by patiently and lovingly getting their students more involved in the classroom, enabling kids living on farms to participate more in sports by doing their driver's education driving themselves home after practice, and by opening the gym to all on Saturday mornings