Are Cyber Schools for Anti-Social?

The first time I ever heard of cyber school was when I was attending Greenfield Elementary School in the 5^th grade. I didn’t know as much about cyber school. Back then I thought that all cyber school students were kind of “weird” because they never have any human contact. How wrong I was… because 1 year later, my school was on cyber.

After hearing about cyber school I made it clear that I would not attend it. That is the same year my mother enrolled my brother and I into cyber school named Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School or PAVCS. We both tried to stop this action, but to no avail. My brother and I would “attend” in that school for 2 school years. We enjoyed our time there but we never felt like we knew anyone in the school. I mean… we knew the teacher but none of our peers. In PAVCS we went to like 3 field trips during our whole time there. This made it difficult for me not to think that all online schools were for anti-social kids.

Shortly after, we left PAVCS to attend a real high school. We did notice that online school was way more advanced in the educational stand point. We breezed through the 2 years that we attended University City High School up until it closed down. We spilt up and my brother and I attended 2 different schools for the first time in our lives. He graduated and I just thought I would have the worst high school experience.

I left the idea of me attending a real high school in 11^th grade. I returned to cyber school, this time at Philadelphia Virtual Academy. All I wanted to do is have a uneventful senior year. Again… how wrong I was? This school year may not be over but PVA is the most eventful online school I’ve ever attended (in a good way). In PVA they are so friendly it makes you just want to interact with all that they can offer. I have gone on more trips this year than I ever thought I would. Also, there is one major thing I respect about this school. In PVA, they are open to suggestions and willing to try to execute those suggestions to the best of their ability. I was upset that I didn’t know many people in my senior class. I spoke to the Principal of PVA (Mr. Anderson) and he came back to me with an idea to fix that. He wanted to create an event for seniors… The Senior Mixer! That was a party for the seniors to mingle and get to know each other. It was a nice party and some of the students actually came out to the party. We even have a group name the “Fantastic 5” because me and some other students were the first 5 students there at the party.

I hope this column may have helped you to stop thinking like I once did. Not all online schools are for anti-social students. It’s for everyone… trust me because I know from my personal experience. I was wrong to think that way and I’m trying to prove the rest of the people that think that way wrong as well.

Best,
Jacob Simmons