Elite Virtual Academy Success Story: Ally Krahn
Elite Virtual Academy (EVA) is for the independent learner who enjoys technology. Students who choose this model have the flexibility to complete their 100% online courses while enjoying ample support from highly qualified instructors and caring counselors. Ally Krahn is an 11th grader that has found academic and personal success with EVA, and her instructors have certainly noticed.
Due to a recently diagnosed medical condition, Ally was looking for a school that would accommodate the school - life balance she needed. Ally joined EVA in 2019 and found that it was exactly what she was looking for. “She has been excelling in her work in EVA all year, and we're truly proud of her,” says Evan Jorgensen, Elite’s Director of EVA.
Now that she is settled in with Elite and is on top of her grades, Ally enjoys being a part of many extracurricular activities. “I like to practice the piano and draw. I started to play the piano when I was 7 and grew to love it from there. I’ve always loved to draw, however, I started taking it more seriously this past year. I like to volunteer almost every day at Priceless Pets adoption center, and I also spend time as a volunteer at our local library."
Ally’s plans for the future include becoming a nurse and going to Loma Linda University. As she will be a 12th grader next year, she hopes to take college classes during that time to get a head start on pursuing her next degree. Elite Academic Academy is thrilled to offer a truly superior online learning experience for their Virtual Students, where they can keep a healthy balance between learning and pursuing extracurricular activities.
If you or someone you know is looking for a personalized education with an academy that meets your learning needs and an enrichment program that assists in pursuing your passion, visit our virtual page to learn more and find out how to enroll.
Celebrating Women - Bella Neal
Lights, Camera, Action! Meet Bella Neal
Bella Neal is a name you are going to want to remember. A 7th grader in Elite’s Virtual Academy (EVA), Bella has known for quite some time that she wants to be a film director and make movies. Both of her parents are in the film industry, so she has grown up on set and fallen in love with the process. Bella found a home with EVA, where she is able to take her schoolwork to the film set with her, so she can grow academically and learn from professionals in her pursued field. We interviewed Bella to discuss her passion for the film industry and how she plans to use her current experience to break out in the industry down the road.
How did you find your passion for the film industry, and how long have you been on sets shadowing employees?
I've watched my parents working on sets my whole life. When I was in third grade, I went on set to watch a movie that my parents had made and my dad was starring in, and I sat next to the director the whole time. I instantly fell in love with the idea of being in charge of the film. Being a director means I get to help with the script, the editing, the makeup, the costume design, the set design, the location, the music, and my favorite part which is casting and working with the actors.
What does your typical daily schedule look like throughout the school week?
If I'm at home, I wake up at 7:30 AM, have breakfast and then either walk our dog, Gabe, or go to the gym with my mom. Then we go to my mom's office and I do my school work while my mom works on a script. Then I have the rest of the day to either see one of my tutors or draw, write, and make movies. I have tutors four times a week, two are online through Elite and my math tutor meets me in person twice a week. A few evenings a week I go to rehearsal because I'm currently acting and singing in a musical. If I'm on set, I sit in a trailer or at Craft Service where a tutor works with me. My first time on set, I thought we would do crafts at Craft Service but it's actually much better, it's full of free candy!
How does being an Elite Student accommodate fulfilling this passion?
Ever since I was in second grade, I wanted to leave school to go to an online school. I knew that if I went to an online school I'd have more opportunities to work on my movies. I have dyslexia and ADHD and the noise and chaos of the traditional classroom was very distracting to me. Now, I can put my headphones in and concentrate on my schoolwork in the privacy of my own home or office or trailer. Being able to bring my schoolwork anywhere is really helpful because I want to start working on sets as a Production Assistant as soon as I can, and I'll be able to shadow the director on my parents' next project, which I'm really excited about.
What are your plans for the future, whether it be continuing academics, going into film, or otherwise?
I'm not sure yet if I'll go to film school for college; for now, I know that I'm definitely going to keep making movies, and maybe even act. I really enjoyed being on the craft segment on Home & Family (a daytime talk show on the Hallmark Channel). I also really want to publish my own graphic novels one day. My mom and I just started creating a graphic novel together that we hope will get published one day. My ideal future looks like this: Being a director-producer-writer-actor who makes movies and also creates graphic novels with an Oscar or two over my fireplace!
Bella with the hosts of Home and Family being featured in the crafts segment.
Elie Academic Academy is very proud that we can offer a standout student like Bella the opportunity to chase her dream while receiving a superior education. Check out our Virtual Academy Homepage to learn more about this program and find out if it is the right fit for you or your student.
Introducing the FitBit Inspire
Introducing the FitBit Inspire
Physical Fitness is a vital component to our student’s education at Elite Academic Academy. All 5th, 7th and 9th graders are required to take the state Physical Fitness Test (PFT) which begins in April of this year for our students. The main goal of the test is to help students in starting life-long habits of regular physical activity. The test has six parts that show a level of fitness that offer a degree of defense against diseases that come from inactivity. The test results can be used by students, teachers, and parents to see where students are able to improve their overall fitness levels and lead healthier lifestyles.
We want our students to have the knowledge and resources necessary to succeed in their physical fitness testing. In order to motivate our students and make fitness testing fun, our students that will be taking the physical fitness test will now be given the option of receiving a brand new FitBit Inspire!
The FitBit Inspire tracks steps, distance, active minutes, calories burned and many other components to see how every part of your day impacts your goals. The battery lasts up to 5 days, and it also works as a clock or stopwatch. With the FitBit app that you can add to a mobile device of your choosing, students can communicate with their Elite FitBit group members to motivate each other and compete in challenges against other Elite Groups!
Our Athletic Lead, Andy Allanson, creates challenges for FitBit groups to provide students with fitness goals one week per month. These challenges can include most steps taken, most active minutes, most steps taken before a certain time, the opportunities are endless! Through the app, students can see what the next challenge is and motivate each other to win the challenge! Here is a look at what the dashboard looks like for students on a mobile device:
The next Elite FitBit Challenge starts today, March 9th. With the introduction of the Fitbit Inspire to our PFT Students, we hope to make fitness an important part of their education while also having fun and engaging with other students.
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.
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.
