Academy Prep Center of Tampa continues long history of impacting Ybor City youth

While summer break is around the corner for many students, middle schoolers at Academy Prep Center of Tampa will still be in classrooms for much of the summer.

That’s because students at the private, non-profit middle school attend for 10.5 hours a day, six days a week and 11 months out of the year. 

However, the school which first opened in Ybor in 2003 boasts a 99% high school graduation rate and many students graduate the school performing at two grade levels ahead in math and reading.

While the school is not public, all students are able to attend at no cost through need-based scholarships.

Academy Prep offers dozens of enrichment opportunities to its students throughout the year, giving students a chance to tap into their creativity through activities like art, music, theater, chess, robotics and more.

Academy Prep also prides itself on empowering students to succeed by providing ongoing support many years after they move on from the school. 

The school is housed in the same building as the former V.M. Ybor Grammar School which operated from 1908 until 1961, when it shut down. Academy Prep renovated the unoccupied property decades later to build a school that would like, the original Ybor Grammar School, make a difference in the lives of local youth. 

To learn more, visit tampa.academyprep.org