By: Charis Smith

My mom is a very passionate person. She has spent the past several years advocating on my behalf so that I can go to a school that works for me. Lately, she has been telling me about some virtual schools around the country that have been threatened with closure based on testing averages. What I have been trying to understand is how someone can close a school without talking to the parents and students that are served by the school. So, to make the student voice heard, I want to share with you what virtual school means to me as I enter my final year.I chose virtual school because it allows me to pursue my true passion: teaching violin and voice lessons. If I was enrolled in a traditional brick and mortar school, its schedule would not allow me to teach others and bring them the gift of music. I am also very active in my church, and I enjoy traveling. I recently went to Hungary and Romania, and I would not have been able to do that if I didn’t attend virtual school.Within the school year itself, the teachers time and again show how invested they are in me. They don’t just try to push me through their classes; they care about how I’m doing outside of the classroom. My teachers have sacrificed their own time to help me when I get stuck on homework, or when I am struggling to study for a test.Overall, virtual school has taught me to be self-motivated and driven. It has taught me how to take responsibility and how to manage my time. I believe that those skills will be very helpful in college and after college (though I’m not sure where I want to go yet)!Because of virtual school, I have found my passion for helping others and teaching music. Virtual school has worked for me. Why would anyone try to take this away?