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Minds of the Future Academy became fully accredited in July.
Dr. Cynthia Smith is expanding access to STEM education and workforce training for students in Jacksonville, Florida, in the East Side neighborhood where she grew up, Afrotech reports.
“It was a big deal for me to open my school, my vision, in an area in which I grew up because I knew that I would be fully supported,” Smith told the outlet.
Smith said her goal was to give children access to specialized educational opportunities without the financial and admissions barriers families can encounter at other schools.
Career preparation is also central to the curriculum. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade can take daily electives in coding, robotics, and visual arts. Middle and high school students can participate in workforce development programs covering artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, digital marketing, carpentry, cosmetology, graphic design, media production, CPR and first aid.
“We’re giving students an additional eight certification opportunities for them to be able to walk out of our doors and work immediately upon graduation,” Smith told the outlet.
The academy also provides arts programming and internships for juniors and seniors. Its community garden supplies students and their families with free produce on Fridays.
Smith is now seeking additional funding to expand the academy’s programs and continue creating educational and career opportunities for students in the Jacksonville community.
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Source: Black Enterprise
