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Abbey Breyfogle

Abbey is a 14-year-old eighth grader at Ohio Connections Academy (OCA). Abbey’s dimples when she smiles are often the first thing you notice about her. But once you begin a conversation with her, you realize she has a lot going on behind those dimples! She enjoys horseback riding, photography, singing, sushi, writing stories, Florida, her family and animals…ALL animals! She hopes to be a veterinarian, and spends a lot of time training her three dogs.

When we decided to home-school we originally used other options, but Abbey felt "she needed more", so she began to examine the many online options that were available and found OCA. Abbey did her own investigation, determined that OCA was the choice she wanted to go with and brought us her recommendation, along with her reasons for them. But that is how Abbey does most things – she does in depth research then presents her case for her decision. We endured many a PowerPoint detailing the research she had done on the unique dog, a Shiba Inu, that she wanted for Christmas in 2008.

When it was time to choose her electives at OCA she wanted to try something she had had an interest in for some time, sign language. She dove into it full steam ahead, finding websites that would get her started even before her curriculum was live. So, when we went to Covington, Kentucky to do some work for a friend, we were surprised to find that the office was right next to Deaf Services. Abbey wasted no time in going in, introducing herself and offering her time as a volunteer. Within the week the wonderful ladies there had compiled resources for Abbey including websites, opportunities for volunteerism and group events where she could interact with hearing impaired individuals. Even though Abbey has completed her unit on sign language, she continues to learn through the internet and is planning on serving as a youth counselor this summer at a camp for hearing impaired children.