Student Spotlight: The Rewards of Online School
National School Choice Week is a great time to celebrate and reflect on the countless rewards of choosing a suitable education for your student. Many students at International Connections Academy private school and Connections Academy–supported online public schools, like Ohio Connections Academy (OCA) student Jessy Miller, tell us that they value online schooling because it helps them to balance academic and personal goals.
Jessy may only be a high school junior, but she is already making strides toward her future. With OCA’s flexible scheduling, she is able to develop both her journalism skills and NASCAR passion by regularly writing and editing posts for NASCARFemale.com—while receiving a high-quality education. Jessy appreciates having the opportunity to customize her school schedule, and she enjoys learning with kind and encouraging teachers.
To learn more about Jessy’s story and how online learning is helping her to jump-start her writing career, check out the Q&A below.
Q: What kind of schooling did you have before enrolling in OCA, and what made you decide to switch to online school?
A: I went to a traditional public school, but I got stressed out a lot there. At OCA, I can work at my own pace and at a time that works best for me during the day. The lessons are not too slow or too fast. OCA also has a journalism class, which interested me. I was really excited to improve my writing skills and to see myself grow as a reporter for NASCAR.
Q: What’s your relationship like with your online school teachers?
A: They’re really helpful. I can ask my teachers a question if I don’t understand something and they are really nice about it—they don’t make me feel bad, because they would rather have me ask questions than not know what’s going on.
Q: I know journalism is your favorite subject in school. What are some fun things that you’re doing in your journalism class right now?
A: The last project that we did was a feature article. I chose to do an article about the NASCAR Cup Series racetracks being covered in snow during the off-season. Some of the tracks don’t see snow often, or at all, since most of them are located in southern areas.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about how you became interested in NASCAR and the kind of writing that you do for NASCARFemale.com?
A: In 2015, my dad was part of a NASCAR fantasy league. He thought it would be cool if I joined. I didn’t really want to at first, but after I watched a race at Sonoma Raceway on TV during the summer, I really liked it. I started tweeting about NASCAR racing a lot, and then NASCARFemale.com contacted me and asked if I wanted to write for them. I cover Team Penske news, do race recaps, and edit some of the posts. I also cover NASCAR driver Harrison Burton on a new page, “Journey To Cup,” which I helped create to bring attention to young NASCAR drivers.
Q: How does OCA help you balance your writing schedule with schoolwork?
A: When I need a break from school, I can switch over and do work for the website. Since I don’t follow a regular school schedule and learn online, I always have access to NACAR’s information and can get important notifications without worrying about being in the middle of class.
Q: Have you noticed a change in yourself since you started with OCA?
A: I’m a lot more confident than I used to be. I don’t feel embarrassed asking questions anymore in class, and outside of school I’m better at speaking up.
Q: What would you like to do after graduating high school?
A: I’m not sure which university I want to attend yet, but I’m going to study journalism. I know in the future I want to do some kind of reporting for NASCAR.
In addition to writing for NASCARFemale.com, Jessy has found the time to start her own website, where she writes about miscellaneous topics such as stress management and books. Be sure to stay tuned for her upcoming guest post to get a more extensive take on her online learning experiences.
Why do you appreciate school choice? We want to hear from you—share your story in the comments!
