“Taking online courses significantly accelerated and improved my education. By taking courses in middle school, I was able to advance straight into AP courses upon entering high school. Online courses also taught me critical study skills, self-teaching methods, and time-management strategies that helped me mature and grow as a high school student.” – Sara S.
“Sara engages with her AP coursework on a daily basis. When given additional resources to explore about the content, she utilizes them and reflects on what she’s learned. She shows a genuine interest in geography and engages with her peers and her instructor often. Sara is a model online student for these reasons!” – Allison Altvater, NCVirtual AP Human Geography Instructor
Sara’s Story
As a student, I am constantly yearning for greater knowledge and deeper insights into the courses I take. I often enjoy doing my own recreational research into the real-life applications of concepts I learn in my courses, especially my AP Government and AP Economics classes, which have profoundly impacted my life. In math courses, especially AP Calculus, I am gratified by the formulaic processes and reward of finding solutions to challenging problems. Real learning does not occur without obstacles, however, and taking both online and AP courses has taught me the importance of persistence in my educational and academic endeavors.
Outside of school, I strive to get involved where I can act on my personal values of empathy, optimism, leadership, service to others, and intellectual curiosity. Empathy yields the most meaningful interpersonal interactions and is vital for establishing trust. Maintaining an optimistic outlook is imperative to overcoming obstacles: I have observed that given the same challenge, negativity poisons perspective and prevents progress, while optimism guarantees growth.
Leading is a life skill I continually aspire to improve, which I have nurtured through the sports and extracurriculars I have participated in. Service to others, especially my community, is a reflection of my experience that people are most successful when working together for a common good. Lastly, no day is complete without learning something new: fresh knowledge gives me greater understanding of the world and my role in it.
Sports, quality time with friends and family, and taking time for myself additionally characterize my non-academic ventures. I am an avid runner and swimmer and also enjoy playing tennis. Cooking and baking for those close to me, and sharing my treats with peers, brings me great joy as I can see their appreciation and excitement when trying one of my new recipes. Reading, winding down with a good show, and relaxing with my beloved heterochromatic basset-hound helps me recharge in the face of a challenging course load.
Sara’s NCVPS Experience
I took my first NC Virtual Class out of a desire to challenge myself and prepare for high school. Though only in sixth grade, I learned the value of time management, work ethic, and collaboration with virtual teachers.
I have taken Latin I and Latin II Honors, World History Honors, Earth & Environmental Science Honors, Civics & Economics Honors, Chemistry Honors, Accounting I Honors, AP European History, and AP Human Geography.
The overwhelming support and cooperation of my online teachers bring me relief and gratitude with every online class I take. No matter my circumstances, my online teachers are always willing to work with me to make sure I am able to grasp content and succeed in the course.
Online classes may seem intimidating, but they are worth it. Just taking one class that you are really interested in can develop your study and time management skills, and help you achieve efficient habits of learning, studying, and balancing your life that are vital to success in college and beyond.
Life Outside of School
I love running, swimming, playing tennis, being outside with my dog, reading, cooking and baking…many things! I find great joy in community service as well, and my work as president of a local philanthropy group has been gratifying. Our efforts towards grant work and community outreach have been realized each year. Participating in school outreach, events, and clubs advances my school spirit and willingness to support my school community as well.
My favorite leisure book is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. The themes on social outcast, defying social expectation, revenge, and the connections of our lives through the past and present fascinated me, especially as these themes were offered through a modern murder mystery format. My favorite literary book is Beloved by Toni Morrison; horrifying at times, the novel reveals the overwhelmingly traumatic, cruel, and degraded nature of slavery in America, a history we must be cognizant of. On another note, Taylor Swift is my favorite artist because of her wide variety of music…and I cannot wait to see her in concert soon!
Current Goals & Future Plans
An academic goal for my final semester in high school is to maintain my GPA and persevere through my rigorous courses. Though I am already accepted into college, I still want to do my best in my AP courses and exams this semester as I have already worked hard the past three years, and want to end high school on a note of resilience. A personal aspiration of my final semester in high school is to live in the moment; it’s cliche, but I have been so busy these past four years, I really want to soak in the final days of high school. Lastly, I am working on training for a half marathon which I hope to run before college!
I hope to pursue economics and public policy or English at Duke University, potentially work for a nonprofit, legal aid, or investment firm, and then attend law school where I can pursue my dream to become an attorney. Not only will my academic performance have to be top-tier, but I will need to make the connections and take advantage of the opportunities presented for me to achieve my ultimate goal of becoming an attorney, whether it be through conversations with local law students, firms, or other insightful leaders.
Fun Facts
My snack of the day depends on my mood. Most of the time, however, it consists of some combination of chocolate, peanut butter, fruit, or yogurt. I love baking, so trying out new mini-snack recipes is a lot of fun.
Family and friends aside, one item I could not live without is my water bottle. Basic, yes, but I drink so much water every day and I would not be as hydrated nor energized without my weathered water bottle by my side.
