Celebrating CTE Month - Culinary Class with Yadira Diaz
February is National Career and Technical Education Month, where we celebrate the value of CTE and the achievements of CTE programs across the country. According to the Association for Career and Technical Education, High School students who are involved in CTE courses perform better in academics, stay more engaged, and graduate at higher rates in comparison to students who do not take CTE courses.
Elite has a dedicated CTE Program that provides our students with opportunities to explore different career paths or find a career avenue that they are passionate about. Yadira Diaz is one of our Flex Academy Students that is exploring one of her interests, which is cooking!
Yadira is taking a Culinary Arts course through the CTE Program at College of the Desert. She recently earned the award of “Best Plate” in her class, pictured above! Yadira is a wonderful example of gaining the fundamental knowledge and skills that a career-ready student needs in order to prepare for the transition to postsecondary education, career training, or the workforce.
Currently, Elite Academic Academy has four industry pathways for students to choose from and will be launching more program choices in the 2020-2021 school year. Students are able to take the CTE course electives in sequential order to obtain CTE program experience, industry experience, integrated courses, and may also choose to take concurrent courses with their local community college to earn toward program completion and early college credit.
Click the links below to gather more information on the CTE Program and how Elite is dedicated to ensuring all students have the opportunity to reach their career goals.
Meet Ryan Hill - Elite Adult Education's First 2020 Graduate
Elite’s Adult Education Program has a group of highly qualified staff that customizes each student’s learning experience to help them achieve their high school degree and prepare them for their future. Ryan Hill, the program’s latest graduate, took full advantage of what the program had to offer and it is paying off for him.
Ryan Hill joined EAA in December 2019. He had received a job offer contingent on earning his high school diploma by January 31st. He had to complete 4 math classes and one PE class. We got him started right away, and his teacher, Aimee Moore, kept encouraging him and pushing him to meet his deadlines. Ultimately he did and was successful in achieving his diploma! Here is what Ryan had to say about his experience with Elite Academic Academy’s Adult Education Program.
“I recently graduated from the school on January 30th, 2020 and let me tell you the program is well worth it. I’ve been out of high school for 4 years now and my local adult schools were no help. I was losing hope as every year went by until my mother and I found out about Elite Academic Academy. We decided to look into it and this program changed my life. The staff was super helpful and friendly. My teacher was extremely supportive and helpful during my process. They genuinely want to see you succeed and graduate. I would strongly recommend signing up with them to finish school, if I can do it I know for a fact anybody else can. Thank you for the opportunity once again Elite, I can finally start my career now achieving this diploma!”
If you or someone you know is also interested in earning their GED or High School Diploma, enrollment is open for our Adult Education Program. Check out our webpage for more program information.
Five Questions About Online School Answered
There was a time when education was limited to either attending the school you’re assigned to or being homeschooled. Even then, homeschooling was foreign to many and surrounded with misconceptions.
We’ve shifted to an era with practically multitudinous options in education. Charter, private, in-person, online, blended: the list goes on.
Which begs the question, “What’s best for my child?”
Elite Academic Academy offers a couple different programs, including homeschooling and blended learning.
To those of you who are new to the online high school environment, welcome. Online high school can be unfamiliar, and naturally with that comes many questions. That’s why we’ve gathered the five most commonly asked questions to help you get better acquainted.
Check them out below.
1. How Do I Transfer From Another School?
Switching your child to another school might sound daunting, but transferring to Elite is actually more doable than you might think. It’s as simple as applying online and talking with an advisor to get the necessary documents submitted.
Don’t worry about contacting your school for transcripts; we will help every step of the way.
Switching to the online environment does mean you’ll need a workspace at home, along with a computer and internet connection. But you’ll also have guidance counselors available to help make the switch as quick and easy as possible.
2. What Will My Child Learn and How?
Elite Academic Academy is a public charter school. That means students are taught the same curriculum as a traditional school. The “how” students learn is what differs.
Students are not burdened with heavy textbooks or long hours crammed in a chaotic classroom. Instead, they study from the comfort of home or enjoy fresh air at a coffee shop! As long as there’s access to a computer (or laptop) and the internet, online students can study wherever they choose.
More important, Elite’s online students benefit from an award-winning curriculum designed specifically for the adolescent learner. Students are not stuck reading a boring textbook, they are engaged with practice workbooks, animated lessons and much more to help them actually enjoy learning.
You can learn more about Elite’s curriculum here.
3. How Do Teachers Communicate With Online Students?
Elite has qualified, state-certified teachers who are dedicated to not only helping our students earn their diplomas, but truly master concepts along the way.
While it could appear as though online schooling creates a barrier, we actually find that it opens the portal to more communication and personalized support.
Students can easily contact teachers via email, phone calls or instant messaging within the online classroom itself. For those students who are ‘too shy’ to raise their hand, this method of communication can reduce anxieties and make them more willing to ask for help.
It’s not fully dependent on the student to ask for help. Teachers stay in touch with their students regularly to make sure they pinpoint struggles and help them excel academically wherever possible.
In many cases, our students report that they communicate with their teachers more here than in a traditional school setting.
4. How Do Online Students Socialize?
As a parent, you know that socialization is key to a teen’s development, and you might worry that an online school is isolating.
And perhaps a decade ago, that would have been true. In this digital world, teens are most comfortable with communicating online. Even with their closest friends, they are most often ‘talking’ via SnapChat, Instagram, etc.
Elite has its own ‘social’ platform called the community, where students can find classmates and chat in a staff-monitored, safe environment. This allows students to comfortably make friends.
Online socialization is great, but it’s merely an avenue; not the main form of interaction. Because face-to-face socialization is just as important for teens, we hold school events throughout the year. These are not required, and they allow students the opportunity to come together and chat with friends in person.
5. How Much Does Online School Cost?
Whether an online school charges tuition depends on the type of institution.
For example, a private school will likely charge tuition. Charter or public schools, on the other hand, will not.
Elite Academies is a charter school, which means we charge no tuition. Whether you enroll in the homeschool program, the blended learning or online school, your cost will be the same: free.
To learn more about our online school with Elite, head to <link>
Sports Nutrition Webinar is Happening Feb. 26
Student athletes can only compete at their best if they can train at their best — and that requires appropriate fueling on a daily basis. Easier said than done? Maybe not!
But we have a way to help you achieve that goal, with a Sports Nutrition Webinar happening February 26 at 1 p.m.
Here are the details:
FOR ELITE STUDENTS, PARENTS AND STAFF ONLY
Topic:
Fueling for School, Sports & A Busy Life: How to make a good athlete great
About:
This informative workshop will address the nutrition questions and concerns common to student athletes, so they can fuel wisely, have more energy and get more out of their workouts.
The presenter:
Sports dietitian Nancy Clark MS RD will help resolve the sports nutrition confusion regarding what, when and how to eat for performance and good health.
How to sign up:
Students and parents sign up for the webinar through ParentSquare. Please note that all students who want to sign up must first talk to their teacher.
If you’re going to be an athlete, be an Elite athlete. The Elite Athletic Academy (EAA) offers its students the truly unique opportunity to customize their education and athletic development. With NCAA approved courses, your child will be able to succeed academically while taking their sports performance to a whole new level.
Elite Athletic Academy is for the student athlete who wants to pursue their passion in a sport while excelling academically
Learn more about the Elite Athletic Academy here.
To learn more about Elite Academic Academy, click on the button below.
A 2020 Guide to Applying for Financial Aid (FAFSA)
FAFSA: it’s a scary word. How’s it even pronounced? Whatever the answer, the word alone is known to cause headaches and stress. (The answer is F-a-F-Sah, for the record).
Of course, receiving free money for college sounds great. That’s not the issue. But the process sounds scary enough that it seems not worth the effort at times.
But it is worth the effort. And while we can’t promise you won’t experience head pains, you can ease your stress by following a few important tips.
Whether you’re student just started high school or is on their way out, now’s the time to start planning on financing your post-secondary education.
If you think you can’t afford college, we’re here to say “Yes, you can.”
There are several scholarships your child can earn. And they don’t all require earning straight A’s, or being athletically inclined.
One such “scholarship” is qualifying for financial aid, or money granted to you by the Federal Government by filling out a Free Application for Student Aid (FASFA) form.
This money is granted to college students, and depending on if you qualify, your teen can either get approved for a loan or receive a grant. A grant is money given to you to attend college that you don’t have to pay back.
Here’s what you need to know about FASFA.
Scholarship Versus Grant Versus a Loan
In the simplest terms:
- Scholarship= Free money from a college or other provider
- Grant= Free money from the government
- Loan= Money you have to pay back
Receiving loans through FAFSA can be useful, considering they do not need to be paid while attending college. Keep in mind that interest rates after graduation can be high, and the payments demanding. If you can find grants and scholarships, these will serve your student much better in the long run.
Scholarships are separate from FAFSA. You can obtain scholarships through the college you’re attending. Oftentimes, this is based on grades or talents. You can find several third-party scholarships, however.
Places like scholarships.com or Fastweb.com are great places to start.
Types of Federal Aid Loans
- Direct subsidized loans: for undergraduate students in community college or in a bachelor’s program. Students will not be charged interest until after they are no longer in school.
- Direct unsubsidized loans: for all levels of degrees and interest is charged from the moment the loan is accepted. The interest is typically from 4-6% in California, but is subject to change.
- Direct PLUS loans: for graduate and professional degree students and parents of those students. Interest is charged from the time the loan is accepted by the student or parent.
- Consolidated loans: You can consolidate loans after the student is no longer enrolled in college to make one payment a month rather than several big payments to different loan companies.
Does Income Level Impact FAFSA Approval?
It’s a common misconception that FAFSA only applies to students with low incomes. Although that can be the case, FAFSA is actually determined on your cost ratio.
Colleges want you to contribute about 47% of your net annual income. If the price of tuition/books exceeds that percentage of your ratio, you are granted aid.
So, if your student comes from a lower income, chances are, the percentage of college costs to your total income would be a high ratio.
But that does not mean those who have higher incomes shouldn’t apply. Let’s say, for example, there are two different students whose parents earn the same income, say $100,000, but one student is attending a community college while the other is attending an expensive private university. In this case, the student attending a private university is more likely to receive financial aid. You can learn more about this here.
In other words, regardless of your income, your child should apply for FAFSA. It’s free to apply, and they definitely won’t receive any aid if they don’t try.
Items Needed to Complete FAFSA
Student’s social security number- OR Alien Registration number they are not a U.S. Citizen
- Your (the parent’s) most recent Tax Return forms, including W2 forms and any other form of income
How to Apply
- Head to the FAFSA site and start an application
- You will need to create a PIN number. It can be hard to retrieve if you forget, so make it memorable!
- Fill out the entire form using the items above.
For more detailed instructions on the application process, check out this Infographic.
What Can I Use My Child Use Financial Aid For?
- Tuition
- School fees
- Housing
- Food
- Health Insurance
- Books
- Supplies for school
- Transportation expenses
What if My Child Doesn’t Know Where They’re Going to School After Graduation?
If your teen is unsure where they are attending college after graduation, you don’t have to wait to apply. The FAFSA form is the same no matter where you attend. It can make a difference in the amount you receive, but it’s better to apply early than to wait on your decision.
A Few Important Things to Note
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FAFSA opened October 1 and runs through about June 2020. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by midnight CT on Sept. 14, 2020.
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The earlier you apply, the better! Students who apply in January are much more likely to receive grants than those in May.
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Many scholarships require a FAFSA form, so if you plan to apply for any scholarships, be sure to complete your FAFSA form this month.
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School deadlines are usually early in the year often in February or March, although some are even earlier now that the FAFSA form is available in October. ( Learn more here.)
No matter your child’s plans after high school, be sure to take the time to fill out a FAFSA form. It certainly won’t hurt, and can potentially give you free money to use toward your education.
For any questions, you can always reach out to your guidance counselor. They can answer your questions, walk you through the process and develop an action plan with you. The help you need to get funding for college is readily available!
Interested in Elite? Fill out the form below to get started.
Online school doesn't mean lack of teachers, it actually means more individualized attention. Here's why:
As the famous English author Terry Pratchett so eloquently stated, “A lie can run round the world before the truth has got its boots on.”
There is an ongoing myth that online school cannot provide students with any support. The lack of a physical classroom is seen to create a barrier.
But at Elite Academic Academy, this is far from the case.
In fact, we’ve developed a proven working model that allows for more individualized student-teacher interaction than a traditional school. Rather than a barrier, we believe it creates a pathway for better communication.
Elite Virtual Academy’s Supportive Student-Teacher Communication Model
If you had one hour to help 30 people, who would you go to first? Likely the ones who grab your attention first and ask for help. That’s the barrier a traditional classroom can create. With such large class sizes, students must be vocal in order to receive any sort of help. Those who aren’t oftentimes fall through the cracks.
At Elite, teachers take care of each student individually. There are real-time online lectures similar to that of the traditional classroom, but that’s merely one point of contact–not the main form of interaction.
Ways to Communicate With Elite Online Instructors
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1. Phone Call
Students can talk with teachers via phone for individual support.
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2. Instant Messaging
Within the virtual classroom is a chat message center for students to get quick answers to questions.
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3. Email
For a smaller, less urgent question, teachers also have emails that they check regularly to respond to students within a 48-hour period.
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4. Online Personal Appointments
Students needing more personalized support can arrange a real-time online appointment with their teachers to get extra help on homework.
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5. In-person appointments
Those students who live near the office are welcome to schedule an appointment with their instructor for in-person support.
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The five points of contact listed above are all easily accessible to students. In many ways, this model is better for the students who are not as outspoken. Raising a hand can be intimidating, especially when coupled with the fear of asking a “stupid” question. Having quick access to teacher support in many ways helps provides more personalized attention.
Personalized Support With Elite Homeschool Academy
Whether you enroll in online school or go the homeschool route, the level of personalized support is the same. With the parent as the main educator in homeschool, the way individualized attention is provided varies.
With all homeschool students, Elite’s role is to encourage, support and guide their educational journey.
Each student is assigned a credentialed educator, who will:
To learn more about homeschooling, check out this article.
If you have any further questions about Elite’s instruction model, our advisors are happy to help! Give us a call at (866) 354-8302
Dejah Saldivar: An Athletic Elite Success Story
Dejah Saldivar has an enormous passion for the game of basketball. She practices around 5-6 hours per day, and travels the country with her team, Cal/Desert Storm, playing in basketball tournaments. She has a goal of receiving a full-ride athletic scholarship to play basketball in college and to continue to receive a top-notch education. This goal is no easy feat, and Dejah knows that. While she is working hard day in and day out to work towards her dream of playing in college, she also has a strong support system around her that is helping her get there. Dejah is an 8th grader in her second year at Elite Academic Academy (EAA), a WASC Accredited and NCAA Approved Public Charter School. She chose Elite’s Virtual Academy because she wanted to receive a superior education while having the flexibility in her schedule to continue training hard and traveling for basketball.
“I want to continue to have a 3.5-4.0 GPA going into high school; because academics are important when you are trying to receive a college scholarship.''
Dejah explained that she has had a great experience so far as an EAA student. She can complete her schoolwork in the morning hours before heading off to basketball practice and it is easy to get in contact with her teacher if she needs help. Manny Saldivar, Dejah’s father, expressed that her basketball coaches make sure that her academic studies are taken care of on the road.
“When she travels, we let the coaches know that she needs time for her academics, and they will accommodate for that and give her time to get her schoolwork done. It is very nice because she never has to miss school for sports, her school travels with her.”
On top of receiving a superior academic experience at EAA, she has been receiving a superior athletic experience at Sports Academy. Since summer 2019, Dejah has been playing basketball with her team at Sports Academy. Starting in October 2019, she has been training and practicing there as well.
Sports Academy is a 100,000 square-foot facility that houses world-class basketball courts, volleyball courts, sand courts, turf field, batting cages, pitching mounds, and a mondo sprint track. On top of that, they have a comprehensive sports medicine practice for medical therapy and rehabilitation, a biomechanics lab, a world-class cognitive training lab, an e-sports training ground, a learning center for academic tutoring and training, and a yoga/cycling studio. Mamba Sports Academy is a space that supports youth, amateur and elite athletes with a Full-Circle training approach to support the body and mind. Manny Saldivar explained how great it has been having Dejah practice at Mamba. “It’s a state-of-the-art facility, and not just for basketball. For everything.” Dejah’s head coach, George Quintero, is a Director at Mamba Sports Academy and works with her there about once a week on average, while also having games held there.
With both Sports Academy and EAA in her arsenal, Dejah will be reaching her goal of receiving a college scholarship in no time. EAA has also taken notice of Dejah’s success with both programs and wants to provide the same opportunity to the rest of their students. EAA has partnered with Sports Academy to provide world class athletic opportunities to their students as part of their experience at Elite. As a student at EAA, you will be provided access to the Sports Academy facilities to complete basic assessments, sports training or skill training. There will be space available at the facility to get your schoolwork done, and transportation may be provided if necessary. Dejah is taking advantage of having these two premier institutions to support her on her journey, as Elite Academic Academy is happy to be able to provide the same support to all of our students.
We will be having two informational meetings to discuss this partnership. Please join us to learn how to enroll with Elite Academic Academy and become an Elite Training Athlete:
Elite Athletics: Starting 2020 off Right
Our Elite students are back to school this week after a relaxing holiday break with friends and family. For our student athletes, they are not just getting back into school mode. They are also getting back into competition mode and continuing with their athletic training.
Davis Perkins is an 8th grader in the Virtual Program at Elite and one of our dedicated student athletes. He is currently thinking about a career in the engineering field and is able to excel academically while also improving on the football and lacrosse field. Over the break, we asked him a couple of questions about his experience as an Elite Academic student as well as athlete.
Meet Davis Perkins
What do you enjoy about playing football and lacrosse?
“I enjoy the competition that these sports offer. Competition forces you to get better and practice harder. I also like being a part of a team and helping my team excel.”
How has being a student at Elite helped you with your athletic goals?
“Elite has given me the opportunity to improve my athletic ability because of my flexible schedule. I can go to my training sessions and complete my school work when I am done. Elite is a great place for student athletes to excel both in academics and sports.”
There will be even more opportunities for Elite Student Athletes to grow both academically and athletically in the coming year through our new exciting collaborations. For further information about the upcoming changes in store for Elite Academic Academy in 2020, subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
If you're looking for a #newyearnewyou, why not try #newyearnewschool?
It’s a new year and a new decade. So clearly, it’s the year of “new year, new you.”
As with every year, there are resolutions to create and set that’ll likely be forgotten within the next few months. It’ll happen.
Instead of trying to set a goal you don’t really want to keep (like eating a salad every day), how about one that could have an actual lasting positive impact on your family’s life:
We’d like to call the “new year, new school” resolution. See what we did there?
If your child is struggling with academics or the traditional mold is simply not working well for your family, then resolve to make a change.
ENROLLING YEAR ROUND
We enroll throughout the school year, so you can get started at a time that’s best for you.
If you don’t know about Elite, here’s a little more info:
Our courses are tuition free with an aligned, engaging curriculum
Elite is a public charter school, which means it is tuition free.
Our curriculum is accredited and held to the same standards as a traditional school. We work to go beyond that by providing not only a rigorous, but engaging online education that happens to have won multiple awards.
Our teachers are highly qualified and provide personalized support
Every teacher at Elite is highly qualified and dedicated to our students. They offer individual support through phone calls, emails, instant messaging and online tutoring sessions. Oftentimes, our students actually report that they receive more personalized attention with us than they did at their old schools.
There are homeschool, independent study and flex programs for a more personalized touch
Prefer to be at home and in charge of your child’s education? Great. We have homeschool programs available so we can support you in that endeavor.
Want to have your child at home, but still have a curriculum and teachers provided? Our independent study is a great solution. Or maybe you like the idea of independent study, but you still want your child to attend a school in person (that’ll be our Flex Academy). Whatever you’re looking for, there’s a good chance we have the program for you.
You can catch up on credits or get ahead and possibly graduate early
Catching up or getting ahead is more doable with Elite. Students can take additional courses each block to catch up or get ahead–all with the support of a highly qualified instructor or academic coach.
Our partnerships mean better opportunities to direct your educational funds.
Each child has unique interests and talents. That’s why we partner with several vendors. So your child can have the opportunity to improve their athletics or their fine arts skills. Or even travel to different countries at nearly no cost to you.
To learn more about our educational funds, head here.
A few differences and similarities between Elite and traditional school
SIMILARITIES
- Tuition free
- Highly qualified instructors
- Special education programs
- School events
- Graduation ceremony
DIFFERENCES
- Home school, flex and independent study options
- Flexible daily school schedule
- Individualized learning and instruction
- Educational funds
- Enrichment programs including career training, athletics, fine arts and travel
Ugly Sweater DIY
As the cold weather arrives, so too appear the dreaded ugly sweaters! Seen out at holiday parties and even the home during the ABC holiday special binging events on the couch, these atrocious articles of clothing have gotten more creative and--dare we say--uglier! The tradition has gone so viral, in fact, that it even has its own holiday.
If you're thinking you don't have an ugly sweater, your friends would probably beg to differ.
Even the simplest of sweaters can turn into the perfect ugly holiday sweater with a couple household, everyday decorations. Check out some ideas below.
How to Make Your Very Own, Truly Hideously Ugly Sweater
While this extravagantly ugly sweater may look complicated, it's pretty simple!
Here are some objects you can put on your ugly sweater ready for the upcoming festivities:
- Sweater from your closet (Or purchased for this occasion, if you prefer!)
- Yarn, garland, tinsel or blinking lights to make stripes
- Ornaments, or thin props to add throughout the sweater
- Bells or anything else loud and obnoxious!
- Your favorite stuffed animal (because why not?)
To put together the sweater, you can use whatever you have! Either make it more permanent with hot glue or have a temporary ugly sweater using rubber bands, safety pins or binder clips. Whatever you do, you can be sure to have a great sweater just like Peyton's!
Once you've put together your masterpiece, don't forget to tag us in your uploaded photo on Facebook! We can't wait to see what you come up with.
