Why did students from across Washington gather in Normandy Park for their prom?
The group of teens dressed in their finest, donning fancy dresses and rented tuxes, seemed like the average prom-goers.
As the sun set at Normandy Park Community Club, a few teens milled outside and chatted with friends, while others hit the dance floor, showing off their best moves as the DJ pumped out the latest tunes.
But there's a catch. Most of the students had never met face-to-face before. They don’t see each other in the classroom or hang out in the halls before the bell rings.
These teens all attend the Washington Virtual Academy.
“It’s a free, public school, available to any student in Washington,” high school principal Jayme Evans said. “We’re 100 percent virtual.”
The virtual academy offers students 90 online courses, including three to four versions of core subjects, making school a completely individualized experience.
“The one-size-fits-all approach to school just doesn’t work for everybody,” Evans said. “We appeal to a lot of different students.”
She said there are 1,300 enrolled in the high school. Washington Virtual Academy serves grades kindergarten through 12.
The program also appeals to teachers. Jo Petersen-Pimental, for example, is in her third year at the virtual academy, after 24 years at public schools.
She and her husband run a bed-and-breakfast, and teaching classes from home allows her to pursue both careers.
“I love the freedom it gives me,” Petersen-Pimental said.
Evans said that the virtual school still provides a number of opportunities to socialize and prom is just one example. “This is one of our biggest events of the year,” she said.
Alais Wagner, 18, and Livvie Suko, 16, are both members of the student body and helped prepare for the prom for the past couple of months.
“We were here since 2 p.m. getting ready and loved every minute of it,” Wagner said.
She explained that her virtual classes are live and students are able to use technology to get in touch and get to know each other.
“We have real teachers and principals,” Suko added. “I like that it’s so flexible with your time. I like to set my own daily schedule.”
Wagner enrolled in the academy in the 4thgrade. “I enjoy being able to do work at home but still have a social aspect,” she said. “ I love the teachers and staff. I like the opportunity to grow.”
Wagner lives in Seabeck and Suko resides near Olympia. They agreed that their friendship would have been unlikely in a traditional school.
Desaree Huynh, 15, from Kent, agreed. “We’re able to get to know people from all over Washington,” she said.
Students come to Washington Virtual Academy for a number of reasons. Some had medical conditions, while others have busy schedules because of extracurricular activities. Some are trying to escape bullying, and others want more attention from their teachers.
“It’s a wide variety,” Evans said. “And they love it.”
For more information, visit wava.k12.com.
