A cascade of achievements follows Paris Richardson—titles that speak to the discipline and confidence shaped by her alma mater, Jean Ribault High School. Richardson, a graduate of the class of 2020, has added yet another accolade to her resume as the Second Runner Up in the 2026 Miss America Pageant. However, it’s not just the national spotlight she holds dear; she credits her high school for giving her a strong foundation. According to Duval County Public Schools, Richardson has spoken highly about the institution that greatly contributed to her current success.
“I don’t think a lot of people understand the skills that this school has to really build people up,” Richardson said. Her gratitude extends to the educators and mentors at Jean Ribault High School who helped to, as she puts it, pour into her. The school’s influence was instrumental in her ability to deftly navigate the journey from local pageantry to the Miss America stage where she boldly claimed the position of second runner-up, as reported by Duval County Public Schools.
Her high school years were formative not solely in her pageant career but also in her educational and professional pursuits. Richardson touts her involvement in Ribault’s extracurricular activities as critical stepping stones. There she served as both a varsity cheerleader and the founder of Get RAW (Ribault Access & Wellness) health club, initiatives that mirrored her later pursuits in health administration, where she secured a Bachelor and Master’s from the University of Florida. During her school days, she also held the title of Miss Ribault, a precursor to her state and national pageant accomplishments…