AP Scores Don’t Tell the Whole Story: How Stanton Prep Builds College-Ready Humans
Stanton College Preparatory School, located in Jacksonville, Florida and part of the Duval County Public Schools district, is widely recognized as one of the top public high schools in the state. It is ranked #7 of 602 “College Prep Public High Schools in Florida” and #1 in Duval School District, the 18th largest district in the nation. With an average graduation rate of 99 %, a 100 % AP-enrollment rate, and an AP exam pass rate of 78 %. The school serves approximately 1,300–1,400 students annually, with nearly 600 students in the IB Diploma Programme and more than 700 in AP/Honors tracks.
In a school defined by academic excellence, Ignite adds a human-element, something equally important: a community where they feel seen, supported, and ready to take their first steps.
Ignite at Stanton High School: When Students Lead, a School Grows From the Inside Out
At Stanton High School, leadership doesn’t sit in a classroom wall poster or a mission statement. It lives in the students who choose to show up after school, every Tuesday, to plan, practice, and prepare for the moment they’ll stand in front of a 9th-grade room and say, “I’m here for you.”
Ignite wasn’t simple to launch at Stanton. As Ignite Advisor Ms. Lashawnda Casper-Reynolds puts it:
“I had to set the foundation first… how we’re going to do it, when, how it’s going to roll out. Being organized is the key to this program being successful.”
Last year, mentors delivered lessons during “Blue Devil Hour.” When that schedule dissolved this year, the team had to rebuild—fast. That challenge became one of Stanton’s biggest innovations.
They created a system where Ignite mentors push into all 9th-grade Critical Thinking classes once a month—a structure that ensures every freshman receives support, not just the ones who seek it out.
What began as a scheduling workaround grew into a schoolwide commitment to belonging.
A Level Playing Field for Freshmen
One student shared a powerful reflection, referencing the viral “Cross the Line” activity:
“Ignite is making it so that the people who maybe had to take a couple steps back are now taking steps forward. We’re all starting with the same foundation at the same starting place.”
The quote captures what educators know is true: academic success isn’t just about intelligence—it’s about connection, access, and confidence. Ignite gives students who often fall through the cracks a consistent advocate.
The Power of Students Who Choose to Lead
One of the strongest elements of Stanton’s Ignite program is their intentional mentor selection. Students apply, interview and step forward because they want to serve.
As one mentor shared:
“We know the strengths and weaknesses of every mentor we’re entrusting to work with freshmen. Not every mentor is perfect — and that’s what makes it work.”
Some mentors walk into a room and instantly command attention. Others lead with quiet steadiness. Together, they create a leadership ecosystem where freshmen see multiple models of success.
A Culture of Collaboration and Continuous Improvement
When educators demand responsibility, students rise to the occasion. Responsibility in Stanton’s Ignite program is real.
Chief Executives meet every Tuesday.
Executives meet twice a month.
Mentors meet monthly.
And all of it happens after school.
These aren’t meetings to check boxes—they’re workshops where students analyze what worked, what didn’t, and what they want to improve next time.
One student, Hiba, explained how these meetings shaped her leadership identity:
“Every meeting gets me into the headspace. After we go into classrooms, we see what went well, what didn’t, and we develop our own workshop. These channels of communication help me stay on top of what I need to do.”
Ignite has become a place where young leaders strategize, reflect, and grow.
Impact That Goes Beyond the School Day
What becomes clear when you listen to Stanton’s Ignite mentors isn’t just that they’re high-achieving — it’s that they are deeply human, deeply aware, and deeply invested in one another’s futures. These students aren’t practicing leadership in theory; they’re carrying it in real time. They talk openly about inequity, confidence, responsibility, and the weight freshmen bring with them into high school. They plan lessons, reflect honestly when things fall flat, and return the next month better prepared — not for a grade, but for the people sitting in front of them.
Ignite doesn’t distract from college preparation at Stanton. It completes it. It shapes students who can think critically, communicate across difference, lead with empathy, and hold space for others while still pursuing their own ambitions. These are students with real dreams, real pressures, and real needs — and through Ignite, they are learning how to meet those needs not just for themselves, but for their community. At Stanton College Preparatory School, leadership isn’t an extracurricular. It’s a lived experience — and it’s preparing students for far more than what comes next.