With Alisa Hug

Why is school choice important to you?

School choice is important to me because I believe that every child learns differently and that options should exist that meet each individual child’s learning style and needs. Parents should be able to choose the public school option that works best for their child.

Why did you become involved with PSO?

I became involved with PSO because I want to see parents equipped to advocate for the public school option that meets their children’s needs. I want every child in America to have equal access to public school options and for the funding to follow each child.

Why should parents become advocates for their children’s education?

Parents should become advocates for their children’s education because parents know best what meets the needs of their children. Parents can best speak to their children’s needs and by becoming informed and engaged can make the best choice regarding their children’s educational options.

What is your favorite advocacy story?

Before Bootcamp this year, I had never heard Tillie Elvrum’s story. When I heard it, it brought me to tears to hear what they went through in Pennsylvania - and it brought tears of joy to my eyes to hear how JD thrived after enrolling in a virtual school.

How has access to school choice impacted your family?

Access to school choice has impacted my family in a big way. When we first enrolled the girls in virtual school in Colorado in 2005, we did it because we wanted to home school but felt overwhelmed and under qualified. Enrolling them in a virtual school enabled us to school them at home with the support of licensed teachers and a rigorous curriculum. When we moved to Georgia in 2009, we moved from a state that had about 12 different online school options to a state that had one option - and there was a waiting list for that school because of the high demand. We were forced to enroll the girls intraditional public school - one thrived and one did not. That fall, we enrolled them both in the virtual school, where they did so much better. I knew I had to plug in and stay involved in Georgia, and to advocate for more options to be made available to the children of Georgia. We are slowly getting there, with two state wide virtual schools serving grades K-12 and another blended model high school - but we still have a ways to go.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

My greatest accomplishment is my role as a founding board member of Georgia’s second statewide virtual school - bringing yet another option to serve the needs of children in Georgia.

Tell us about your family.

I have been married to Joel for 21 years, and we have two daughters - Lauryn, 18, and Meghan, 15. Joel works for a small company that designed and supports a software product that helps school districts all over the country track special education students’ IEP plans. Lauryn is a gifted digital artist and aspires to work in animation and Meghan is an aspiring chef and has a passion for baking and cake decorating.

If you were a condiment, what would it be and why?

If I were a condiment, I would be relish. Relish is okay by itself, but in the presence of ketchup and mustard, makes a delicious hot dog. Relish also compliments any egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, and even potato salad (the way my mom made it).

Winter, spring, summer, or fall?

Spring!

Aisle or window seat?

Window seat, every time

If we went into your Top 25 Most Played List, what would the top 3 be?

They’re all going to be Christian/Gospel - ‘cause that’s pretty much all I listen to - Overwhelmed by Big Daddy Weave, Amazing Grace/Chris Tomlin, and More than Enough

Bonus: what is your favorite board game?

My favorite board game is Aggravation