Dr. Cynthia Smith is giving Jacksonville students access to tuition-free STEM education. Her school also prepares students for careers beyond the classroom.
Minds of the Future Academy became fully accredited on July 17. The Jacksonville, Florida, school serves students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Smith founded the academy in the East Side neighborhood where she grew up. Her goal is to provide specialized education without major financial barriers.
The academy also combines academics with career training. Students can explore technology, business, creative arts, and several skilled professions.
Dr. Cynthia Smith Builds a Tuition-Free STEM School in Jacksonville
Smith has spent much of her career working in education. She spent 16 years in Jacksonville’s public school system before building her own academy.
She first launched Minds of the Future as a for-profit preschool in 2016. Three years later, she expanded the vision into a K-12 school.
The school now operates through the nonprofit Minds of the Future Foundation. The organization receives funding through Step Up For Students to help cover attendance costs.
Smith said returning to her childhood neighborhood made the project especially meaningful.
“It was a big deal for me to open my school, my vision, in an area in which I grew up,” Smith said.
She also wanted local children to access specialized opportunities. Those opportunities can sometimes come with financial or admissions barriers elsewhere.
Minds of the Future Academy Earns Full Accreditation
The academy’s full accreditation marks an important step for Smith’s education project. It also comes nearly ten years after she first opened its doors.
The school now has a larger campus designed around both learning and career preparation. Smith purchased a 28,000-square-foot facility in October 2025.
The move brought the academy’s operations under one roof. The campus includes computer labs, STEM labs, and media production facilities.
Students also have access to a makerspace. There, they can explore design and create clothing.
These facilities give students opportunities to learn through practical experiences. They also expose young people to fields beyond traditional classroom subjects.
Jacksonville Students Can Study Coding, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
STEM education plays a major role throughout the academy’s curriculum. Younger students can explore coding, robotics, and visual arts through daily electives.
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade receive these opportunities as part of their school experience. The approach introduces technical and creative skills early.
Older students can take part in workforce development programs. Those programs cover artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.
They also include digital marketing, carpentry, cosmetology, and graphic design. Students can additionally study media production, CPR, and first aid.
The broad curriculum gives students several possible career directions. It also allows them to explore interests before graduating from high school.
Students Can Graduate With Career-Ready Skills and Certifications
Career preparation is another major part of Smith’s vision. The academy aims to connect classroom learning with real workplace opportunities.
Smith said students will have access to eight additional certification opportunities. These credentials can help graduates enter the workforce after completing school.
“We’re giving students an additional eight certification opportunities,” Smith said.
She added that students can potentially work immediately after graduation. The programs therefore focus on skills that have practical applications.
The academy also offers internships for juniors and seniors. Arts programs provide another way for students to develop creative skills alongside career training.
The School Also Supports Students and Their Families
Minds of the Future Academy extends its work beyond academics. The school operates a community garden that supports students and their families.
The garden provides free produce on Fridays. That effort adds a practical community benefit to the school’s educational mission.
The academy has also reported strong retention numbers. According to the publication, student retention stands at 90%.
Staff retention is also reported at 97%. Meanwhile, the school’s workforce has grown significantly ahead of the new school year.
The staff increased from eight employees to 30. That growth reflects the academy’s expansion and broader educational programming.
Dr. Cynthia Smith Plans to Expand the Academy
Smith is now seeking additional funding to grow the academy’s programs. More funding could help create additional opportunities for Jacksonville students.
Her focus remains on expanding education and career pathways within the community. That mission connects directly to her decision to build the school where she grew up.
The academy’s development also shows how local educators can create new options for students. Smith’s model combines tuition-free education, STEM learning, career preparation, and community support.
For Jacksonville families, the school offers another path through K-12 education. For Smith, it represents a long-term investment in the community that helped shape her.
