Kriste-ana Smith is the inaugural valedictorian at KIPP Bold City High School. She plans to attend Valdosta State University with plans to become a physical therapist. Kriste-ana was among the KIPP Bold City students who announced their post-secondary choices during a campus celebration Thursday, May 1, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
Published on May 2, 2025 at 3:07 pm
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Kriste-ana Smith wants to help people.
The valedictorian of the first KIPP Bold City High School graduating class says her years at the Westside charter school prepared her to be a physical therapist.
Thursday afternoon, Kriste-ana and scores of her classmates announced their post-secondary decisions during a signing day ceremony inside the school’s gymnasium.
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The cheerleaders, the applauding classmates, the declaration of college plans — as well as the light refreshments served afterward — were reminiscent of what many high schools across the country do to celebrate varsity athletes who have signed scholarships.
KIPP Bold City High School was not the first local school to replicate that ceremony for its academic achievers. However, Thursday was the first time KIPP Bold City had the chance.
“Honestly, it feels like a huge accomplishment,” says Kriste-ana, who will graduate with a 4.3 weighted grade point average. “Over the past four years, it hasn’t been easy. It’s really given me a run for my money. It’s a huge accomplishment to me because its something I’ve been working toward for a long time and it feels good to finally be in the moment.”
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The 17-year-old, who lives in the Highlands neighborhood in Northwest Jacksonville, is the daughter of Christopher and Charmeka Smith. Kriste-ana chose Valdosta State because of its proximity to home and the way people there fostered a community environment — two things that helped her navigate her high school years.
KIPP Bold City High School opened in 2021. It currently enrolls 700 students. KIPP Jacksonville Executive Director Melissa Fullmore told Jacksonville Today in 2024 that the school grew the high school organically through promotion from its previously established middle school.
“What makes this special is people trusted a high school that didn’t exist,” Fullmore says. “In Jacksonville, that’s a big deal. (It’s) a place where there are a lot of legacy high schools. For people to say ‘Yes’ and come when it didn’t even exist. Then to say ‘Yes’ year after year and be our first class, its super special because it means they trusted us and they saw the same vision that we saw for their children.”
KIPP executives have not hidden the fact they recruit students from Northwest Jacksonville and the Westside.
KIPP Jacksonville K-12 earned lower scores from the Florida Department of Education compared to the four traditional public high schools in Northwest Jacksonville and the Westside. KIPP earned a ‘D’ during the 2023-24 academic year. Westside, Ed White and Ribault were all earned ‘C’ grades from the state during the same period. Meanwhile, Raines earned a ‘B’ last year.
KIPP Bold City Principal De-Shazo Wilkinson reminded the students they are not perfect, but they are prepared.
“What I hold most is your growth,” Wilkinson said. “I have witnessed the perseverance, the strength, the leadership.”
The inaugural KIPP Jacksonville class, a majority of whom are Black, plan to attend an array of Historically Black Universities.
Florida A&M, Bethune-Cookman, Savannah State, Clark-Atlanta, Howard and Harris-Stowe State were among the schools that have accepted KIPP Jacksonville’s first graduates.
Jailyn Lewis is one of those future HBCU students. Lewis has attended KIPP since kindergarten. He wants to become a photographer after he earns his business degree from Florida A&M.
There was just as much applause for graduates who plan to enroll at Florida State College at Jacksonville, cosmetology school and the military as there was for those who will attend four-year universities.
Joel Hunt plans to operate his own business after he graduates from Harris-Stowe in St. Louis.
Hunt credits Wilkinson for helping him become a man. In his KIPP years Hunt says he was given an understanding of the steps he needed to take to achieve his dreams. He learned discernment and skills that allow him to overcome obstacles.
Hunt led the Greyhounds basketball team in points and assists this year. He also has a 4.1 weighted grade point average and earned more than $100,000 in scholarships. As he celebrated, a gaggle of boys in the fourth row roared their approval at his academic accomplishment.
“We grew up with each other. We’ve seen our ups and downs; trials and tribulations; good things and bad things,” Hunt says. “All of them are my brothers. It’s been good to have that brotherhood, to have that feeling that somebody else that’s not your blood can congratulate you.”
