ORLANDO, Fla. — For a century, Black educators across Central Florida have broken barriers, opened doors and shaped generations of students.
At Jones High School, the region’s first historically Black high school, that legacy isn’t just remembered — it’s lived every single day through the teachers, leaders and students who continue the work.
Then: Building excellence with less
Long before integration, Jones High was more than a campus — it was the center of community life. Families gathered for concerts, games and events. And inside classrooms, teachers often filled roles far beyond instruction.
Dr. Clara Walters, a former Jones High School principal and district administrator, remembers learning from hand-me-down books…