Since she started school, Katelin Jones has never been in a class of more than 20 students.

But next month, the 2011 First Baptist Christian School valedictorian will be one of about 18,000 undergraduates at Old Dominion University.

“I’m very used to small classes,” said Jones, who spent her last year at First Baptist as one of nine seniors. “College is going to be a culture shock.”

Jones started at First Baptist in ninth grade after she attended Central Christian Academy in Portsmouth since the first grade.

She said she’s enjoyed the small class sizes because they create a tight-knit community.

“There’s more one-on-one time and more interaction with everyone,” Jones said. “It’s kind of like a big family here.”

Even though it would be a big change, Jones said, she applied to ODU because it was close to her home in Gates County, N.C.

When she was applying for colleges, Jones said, she chose to be nearby because her grandmother’s health was failing.

She said her grandmother has inspired her to strive to be the best at everything she does.

“She was really my motivation to stay strong because she was always so strong in everything she did,” she said.

Unfortunately, her grandmother passed away in September, but she continues to inspire Jones.

“She left such a legacy,” she said. “I want to continue it.”

Using her grandmother as motivation, Jones worked diligently in school to earn the top grades, and she took every Advanced Placement or honors class that First Baptist offered.

During her senior year, she also used two free periods every day to study and complete schoolwork instead of using the time to relax or go home early.

In addition to her studies, Jones was captain of the cheerleading squad, which supported both the girls and boys varsity basketball teams.

She said she loved cheerleading, but it made for a crazy schedule that sometimes included 12-hour days.

“You kind of overwhelm yourself to get through it, and when you finally do it, it’s a relief,” Jones said.

To add to an already busy agenda, Jones also had to drive 25 minutes to and from school every day.

However, she said the drive has turned out to be good preparation for commuting to ODU next year.

Jones tried out the drive for the first time earlier this month for freshman orientation, where she got her first taste of college.

“It made me realized I’ve pushed to get here, and I have to keep pushing to get through college,” she said.

In college, Jones plans to study biology and secondary education, and she said she wants to become a teacher in order to make a difference in students’ lives.

“I love kids,” she said. “I feel like that’s where I need to be. I want to be the person that they can come to if they need me.”

Jones said she wants to experience teaching different grade levels during college to figure out which one is right for her.

Other than figuring out her career, Jones said, she hopes to learn more about herself and her limits during college.

“I want to grow as a person to know what I can and can’t do,” she said.