This high school student made Miami-Dade County history. ‘Her work ethic speaks volumes’

While other students spent the start of the new school year meeting their new teachers and reuniting with friends, Janiya Baker was making history.

This year, the 16-year-old became the first student to skip two grades at the high school level in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the third-largest school district in the U.S., said Gabby Acosta, a school district spokeswoman.

Janiya finished her freshman year at Homestead Senior High School, 2351 SE 12th Ave., in the spring and started her senior year in August.

“I feel good. I’m thankful for my support system,” she told the Herald in a recent interview, mentioning her parents and teachers.

Her mother, Jasmine Gary, said her daughter shrugged when she heard the news initially.

“She’s so humble,” Gary said, smiling and shaking her head. “She’s like that. She’s quiet. She never tells us when she gets awards. She’s just focused on accomplishing her goals.”

Gary found out when she visited the school to speak with staff over the summer. After looking at Janiya’s credits, they all realized she could graduate sooner than expected.

“We were all like, ‘If she’s got this many credits, how is she going to stay in high school? It wouldn’t make sense.’ I was like, ‘God, she’s so young, but she’s been doing the work, so I think she can go for it,’” said Gary, recalling the meeting.

Gary then went home and told her daughter, who replied: “OK. ... What am I going to wear on the first day of school?”

Took extra classes beginning in middle school

Gary said she doesn’t worry about her daughter advancing so much at a young age because she’s mature. Similarly, Shaundrea Dixon, who’s been a college advisor at Homestead Senior High for three years, believes Janiya will succeed.

“Her work ethic speaks volumes. My biggest concern would be time management but she’s already mastered that, so I have no doubt in my mind that she’ll do great in college. She’s already taking advanced classes and getting As,” Dixon said. “She’s constantly impressing me.”

Janiya started taking upper level classes in seventh grade: She did her classwork quickly, then completed homework during school hours. At home, she studied for upcoming tests but soon found herself with too much free time.

“I felt like I was ready to challenge myself,” she said. “I wasn’t exactly bored in class; it just wasn’t challenging enough for me.”

In seventh grade at South Dade Middle School, she took her first high school class: physical science. Then in eighth grade, she took two more: biology and geometry. After that, she took more during ninth grade at Homestead Senior High and even more in between via Florida Virtual School.

“I think the skipping grades just happened,” Baker said. “At one point, I thought I could skip a grade, but I didn’t realize I could be a senior so fast.”

Self discipline — and Jordan sneakers

She aced her assignments while cheering on the side, and watching the 2000 cheer film “Bring It On” a lot. Some nights, she stayed up until 2 or 3 in the morning. She constantly carried around a tablet to sneak work in whenever she got a few minutes off.

Her parents said they encouraged her by agreeing to buy her Jordan sneakers if she got good grades, but agreed she mostly pushed herself.

Asked what drives her, Janiya simply said, “discipline.”

“I never procrastinate. I think more about the positive in the future than in the negative now so that helps,” she said.

Her ultimate mission is to open her own business. She wants to create clothes from the smallest to the largest sizes for both men and women.

“I’ve had that dream for a long time,” she said. “I first thought of it in elementary school.”

To do that, she will major in business at Florida International University after graduating.

Her principal, Samuel Louis, said he’s happy Janiya attends his school and wants her to inspire others.

“It’s one of those examples that hard work pays off,” Louis said. “I think this tells every other student, ‘Hey, if you have a goal, any goal, and you set your mind to it, you can accomplish it. We’re really proud of her.”