JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Without a doubt, the love Malcolm Sessions has for his high school alma mater runs deep. He graduated from Jean Ribault High School in 1979. Sessions prides himself knowing his school's rich history and the people who made the school what it is, nowadays.
There's a local barbershop nearby the school, Master Bo's barbershop, inside is a wall of framed photos of people who earned to be on the owner's wall of fame. That includes Jean Ribault movers and shakers such as: coaches, players and famous alum.
"You have no idea. I was an amazing experience for me the whole I was there," Sessions said.
To the alum, some of the school's greatest moments came from the original building. Sessions urged how his school worked hard for all the trophies and accomplishments. While the school's name will remain, the building will be demolished in 2023. A new building for the next generation is expected to be ready by 2025. Sessions said this transition is slightly bitter-sweet.
"People are going to look at Ribault totally different than what they did in the past," he added.
District leaders said the high school students will be housed at Ribault Middle School until the project is complete. The changes stem from the half-penny sales tax that Duval County voters approved in 2020. The purpose is to renovate and rebuild Duval schools. By 2025, the new building will birth new stories of greatness for Sessions to be proud of.
"It's their chance to show that I'm going to be just as good - better than a past Trojan," Session said.