In education, summer is a time of transition. This July, we interviewed class of 2026 graduate Jackie Salomon, inviting her to reflect on finishing high school, her dreams for next year and beyond, and what advice she would give to others like her.
Every person who believed in Jackie helped shape the person she is becoming today. From the encouragement of her family, teachers, and counselors to the confidence she discovered within herself, those experiences inspired her to pursue a career centered on helping others feel empowered. Jackie hopes to give others the same confidence that was once given to her.
Jackie’s greatest passion is cosmetology. While attending Sarasota Military Academy (SMA), she also enrolled in the cosmetology course at Suncoast Technical College (STC), where she began developing the skills needed to pursue her career.
This fall, Jackie will begin pursuing an Associate of Arts degree in Nursing at State College of Florida. Her dream is to become a medical aesthetician. Although she has been told the journey will take years of education and training, she is fully committed to putting in the work. One day, she hopes to open her own spa, offering services such as lymphatic drainage massages and Botox treatments.
For Jackie, cosmetology is about helping people feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. Being able to boost someone’s self-esteem through her work is what inspires her every day.
Throughout high school, she found encouragement among the people around her. She credits her support system, including family, teachers, and counselors, with helping her overcome challenges and stay focused on her goals. Marsha Seagrave, a counselor from SMA, played an especially meaningful role by helping her enroll at STC and encouraging her to see new possibilities for her future.
When asked how she overcame the challenges she faced during high school, Jackie shared a response she had thoughtfully prepared ahead of time:
“I’ve faced challenges that weren’t always easy, but I stayed focused on my goals and kept moving forward. With the support of my family and teachers. I learned to never give up and keep believing in myself.”
Jackie hopes to encourage students who are just beginning their own high school journeys. Her advice: find what truly makes you happy and look for ways to become involved in your community. She also acknowledges that the academic pressures of high school can sometimes feel overwhelming but reminds students that they don’t have to face those challenges alone.
“Take advantage of the resources and the support you have when it’s there for you.”
This past May, Jackie received the STRIVE Award from the Education Foundation of Sarasota County through the generosity of the Hunkele Foundation. The award is presented to students who demonstrate resilience, determination, and grit in overcoming challenges while striving for success.
Being a STRIVE recipient, Jackie feels proud of how far she’s come. She also hopes to become someone younger students can look up to, a person they can turn to for encouragement, guidance, and support as they pursue their own dreams.
As Jackie begins this next chapter, she carries with her the lessons and encouragement that helped shape her journey. She hopes to build a career that helps people recognize their own confidence and potential. In doing so, Jackie is continuing the cycle of encouragement that first inspired her, proving that the greatest impact we can have is empowering others to believe in themselves.