Jacksonville Educator Builds Accredited, Tuition Free STEM School

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.

Minds of the Future Academy, the tuition-free private K-12 STEM school Smith founded, became fully accredited July 17, according to the outlet. The milestone comes nearly a decade after Smith, a lifelong educator who spent 16 years in the public school system, launched the academy as a for-profit preschool in 2016.

In 2019, Smith expanded her vision into a K-12 school operating under the nonprofit Minds of the Future Foundation. The organization receives funding through Step Up For Students to help cover attendance costs.

“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.

In October 2025, Smith purchased a 28,000-square-foot facility, bringing the academy’s operations under one roof. The campus includes computer and STEM labs, podcasting and media production facilities, and a makerspace where students can design clothing.

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.

According to the publication, the academy has a 90% student retention rate and a 97% staff retention rate. Its staff has expanded from eight to 30 employees ahead of the new school year.

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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