The students from Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA), an online public school serving K-12 students throughout the state, will celebrate its graduates with an in-person commencement ceremony this weekend.

The ceremony will take place at Niobrara County High School and is expected to feature WYVA’s highest graduating class ever. Details for the graduation can be found below or on WYVA’s Facebook page.

And for the second year in a row, WYVA has three students awarded the University of Wyoming Trustees Scholarship, the highest scholarship award at the state’s flagship university.

WYVA has two Valedictorians this year, Haddy Smith and Jaden Campbell. Haddy Smith, from Big Piney, shared that “attending WYVA has allowed me to further my education while pursuing life goals. During my time here I was able to study and maintain my job as a general manager. Continually, WYVA allowed me to travel the country and experience so much in life before I even graduated high school.”

When asked about her experiences in the program, Jaden Campbell, from Saratoga, stated “I have greatly enjoyed my experience at Wyoming Virtual Academy. Through this program, I have faced immense levels of success as a student. I appreciate the fact that WYVA allows for flexibility and the ability to take advanced courses.”

This year, WYVA will graduate over 60 students. The graduating class reports it has been accepted to colleges and universities across Wyoming and beyond including the University of Wyoming, Columbia, Cal Berkeley, Utah, Western Wyoming Community College, and the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Prior to the pandemic, students enrolled in virtual school for a number of reasons—some were looking to escape bullying, some may have fallen academically off track, and others were looking for an alternative to the traditional classroom setting.

WYVA students access a robust online curriculum in the core subjects and a host of electives and attend live virtual classes taught by state-certified teachers.

“I am grateful that this graduating class had the opportunity to push through the pandemic without having to stop schooling or change their day-to-day work with WYVA,“ said WYVA Executive Director, Joe Heywood. “We’re excited to celebrate with these great kids after their four years of hard work.”

WYVA is inviting all families and friends worldwide to join the celebration. Details of the graduation ceremonies are as follows:

WHAT: Wyoming Virtual Academy 2022 Graduation Ceremony

WHERE: Lusk, Wyoming at Niobrara County High School

WHEN: May 21 at 2:00 PM

CONTACT: For any questions about the celebrations, please contact head of school Joe Heywood at jheywood@k12.com. For media inquiries, please contact Ken Schwartz at kschwartz@k12.com.

About Wyoming Virtual Academy

Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA) is a full-time online public-school program of the Niobrara County School District #1 that serves students statewide in kindergarten through 12th grade. WYVA is tuition-free to Wyoming students and gives families the choice to access the curriculum provided by K12, a Stride company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build their skills for the future. For more information on WYVA, visit wyva.k12.com.

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