news research

Office phone: 757-446-2274

Email: jakon.hays@pilotonline.com

Jakon Hays is part of the team of librarians who maintain the newspapers archives.

Jakon settled in Norfolk in 1977. After graduating from the Norfolk Public Schools system, he attended Norwich University, The Military College of Vermont, and graduated in 1994. He majored in International Studies and Russian. After graduation, Jakon worked as a private English language tutor for a brief time to recent Russian immigrants who settled in New Jersey, and worked for a brief time in the restaurant industry at a small “fusion cuisine” café across the river from Philadelphia.

With an interest in making a greater impact on the world, and representing America, Jakon joined the Peace Corps. From 1998-2000, he served in the Peace Corps as a High School Teacher of English, (TEFL) in rural Romania. In addition to his daily teaching duties, he conducted English language classes for the citizens of his village, the mayor and a Senator who served in the Romanian parliament.

Jakon joined the Virginian-Pilot news library in December of 2000 as a news researcher and library clerk. He helps maintain the library’s digital archive, the microfilm collection, and assists reporters with information on a variety of subjects relating to their stories. Jakon also assist the general public with questions concerning articles that ran in the newspaper and provide assistance to individuals who wish to obtain that hard to find article.

Jakon enjoys international travel with his wife, reading, listening to music, cooking, exercise and working on his ’59 Rambler.