>
Shandi Gatter
Shandi is a ten-year-old fifth grader at Nevada Connections Academy (NCA). She is from Las Vegas, Nevada. She is passionate about ice skating. She is a competitive member of both US Figure Skating and the International Skating Institute. Her mother tells her story below.
"At nine years old, Shandi is a very resolute and self-disciplined child. She is also a leader. This was evident early in school when she would finish her work and then request permission from the teacher to help other students. She plays by the rules and expects others to do so as well. A conversation with Shandi could range from discussions about kittens to political races.
At age six, Shandi first put on figure skates and stepped onto the ice. She immediately fell and couldn't manage to right herself. On her second trip to the ice rink, she was so determined to skate that she was up and skating within the half hour. But, that wasn’t good enough. Shandi challenged herself to become the best figure skater, ever. In the three years since, she has competed in numerous competitions in Nevada, California and Arizona. She has earned many first and second place medals and trophies including first place wins in the California State Games, Arizona’s Cactus Classic and the Silver State Championships. She is a competitive member of both US Figure Skating and the International Skating Institute.
As Shandi’s training became more extensive, scheduling conflicts arose between school and available ice time. We became aware of NCA through a mailer and decided to give it a try. The flexibility of NCA allows Shandi to be coached in the morning hours when the ice rink is not crowded then return home for her education and sometimes ending in a trip back to the rink. It also allows for travel out of state for competitions. She can work ahead and also work remotely during those events."
Shandi says, “What I like most about NCA is the flexible schedule and the Science classes because I get to perform experiments. I also like the Art classes, they’re fun. I love that I have learned to create slide show presentations and make them just for fun, not always for school. Oh yeah, and I can do school work in my pajamas."