founder of the 1st Free Private STEM school
Dr. Cynthia Smith
If the word “dynamo” was a person, it would be Dr. Cynthia Smith. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Smith has built a career on turning no’s into “Nobody can stop me!” After graduating from Andrew Jackson High School on Jacksonville’s East Side, Smith completed Education and Curriculum degrees at The University of North Florida with honors. As a first-generation college graduate, Smith kept going, eventually earning a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University, and achieving this feat before turning forty while working fulltime and managing her active family. Smith’s dissertation focused on research about young men of color and college completion.
Dr. Smith has a proven legacy of impact, from mentoring at-risk youth in reading, writing and math to promote high school completion to achieving district records for improvement in statewide test scores to leading dramatic school turnaround teams in some of Jacksonville’s most challenging communities. Disillusioned as she waited for a much-deserved school principal role, Smith decided to transition her talents to early learning, launching early learning centers.
She spurred an economic renaissance in East Jacksonville, mentoring other black owned business owners throughout the community. Smith continues to consult and is a serial entrepreneur, launching an event space and expanding the school to offer K-12 and after school enrichment. Smith is proud mom to LJ, one of the South’s hottest djs, and Aubrey; wife to Dan, and inspiration to all.
