Becoming Collegiate Academy (Becoming) seeks to be to K-12 education what Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been to higher education and the society at large: training grounds for 21st-century leadership. Like HBCUs, we immerse students in a nurturing and intellectually stimulating environment that connects to the history of their community and inspires them to carry that relentless spirit forward. Through a focus on fostering positive relationships, leveraging culture and identity, and upholding high expectations; Becoming students will acquire a deep sense of identity, a passion for service, and a commitment to leadership. We provide students with a school experience that instills a deep pride in our community and helps them build, rather than rest on that excellence. BCA’s charter was authorized by Duval County Public Schools on October 6, 2020. Becoming will open its doors to its inaugural class of over 200 kindergarten and first-grade students in the Fall of 2022.