January 10, 2023
Jordan Wilson was part of the first graduating class at City Academy in 2005, so most of his years were spent at Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club before the new campus opened in 2004. In more than one way, it felt like a home away from home.
“I grew up in Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club because of City Academy and because my mom worked there,” Wilson said. While it was fun to see his mom every day, it was also “easy discipline right down the hallway,” Wilson said laughing.
Once the school moved across the street to the current campus, Wilson remembers how much the students enjoyed having their own space. “The biggest thing we liked as kids at that age was that we had turf outside to play and run around,” he said.
After City Academy, Wilson went on to attend Tower Grove Christian School, and then spent his four years of high school at Hazelwood Central. He received a full-ride scholarship to play basketball at Quincy University in Illinois. He graduated with a degree in Public Relations and Management.
Looking back, Wilson appreciated all the lessons he learned at City Academy, which he said helped pave the way for his future education and career. “City Academy taught me different etiquettes that prepared me for my next role of how to be professional and how to grow and mature as a child at a very young age,” Wilson said.
Wilson was especially appreciative of all the City Academy teachers whom he described as hands-on and impactful. He particularly appreciated that City Academy had so many male teachers that served as male role models for him.
Currently, Wilson works as the College and Career Counselor at Lift for Life Academy. He works with the high school students to put together field trips and events to introduce them to different options for continuing their education from traditional colleges, to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to trade schools.
“A lot of kids in this generation just want to get out of high school and get right to work and start doing it on their own,” he said. “It’s fun to introduce them to different trades and different routes if college is not the route for them.”
In addition, Wilson started his own business with his wife Andreana two years ago — Wilson’s PR Pitch. He started by helping out a friend and then realized that a lot of businesses didn’t have much of a public presence. Jordan and Andreana work with several local companies, but are open to working with businesses all over. Andreana works on the business full-time, while Jordan works around his full-time hours at Lift for Life. You can find more information about Jordan and Wilson’s PR Pitch at http://wilsonsprpitch.com.