Ericka Woods
“My mostly online school requires students to be independent, self-disciplined, and organized.”
– Ericka Woods
Before transferring to my current school, Chicago Virtual Charter School (CVCS), I attended a regular public school near my house for primary school. Though I did academically well there, I did not do so well socially. I was extremely shy, awkward, and felt like I did not belong. After fifth grade, my mom decided to transfer me to CVCS, a blended online school that serves kindergarten to twelfth-grade students. From there, I never looked back.
Socially, I flourished in my school. I noticed that like me, a lot of my fellow students were also shy. That gave me confidence and showed me that I had nothing to be afraid of, as they were just as afraid as I was. I became more outgoing and friendly. Now, in my senior year of high school, I am much more confident in my abilities to befriend and socialize with other people. I even search out opportunities to interact with others, whether it is putting on presentations or tutoring younger students.
I have also excelled academically at CVCS. Though I did get good grades in regular school, I gained skills in my current school that I would not have gained otherwise. My mostly online school requires students to be independent, self-disciplined, and organized. Since I do not always have a teacher, I often have to be able to teach myself. I need to rely on myself to teach myself concepts that I do not understand.
Also, school work requires me to be on the computer most of the time, without the aid of a physical teacher, so it is easy to get distracted and get lost in the various online sites. I have enough self-discipline to avoid distractions. Not to mention, since a concrete schedule is not often given to me, I have learned how to make my own schedule that is organized and efficient. I know that in college, students will need these skills in order to succeed, so the fact that I have learned and strengthened these skills from a young age makes me feel that I am very prepared for the next chapter of my life.