Kandyce M.
Graduate
Brick-and-mortar school had never really worked for Kandyce, academically or socially. “It was such a hectic environment for me,” she says. “There was just so much going on.” She wasn’t getting the support she needed from teachers. She had difficulty making friends. “I was struggling,” she recalls. Kandyce considered a few other online schools, then she discovered Great Lakes Learning Academy.
Making Friends Was Easier
People often ask whether online education can provide students with the same kind of social opportunities as traditional school. At Great Lakes Learning Academy, Kandyce found that making friends was much easier than at her previous school. “When I was in person it was hard for me to make friends,” she says. It was “overwhelming.”
Once she became an online student, she could “go at [her] own pace.” Instead of trying to navigate the challenging dynamics of lunchrooms, hallways, and large friend-groups, Kandyce was able to connect with other students on her own, and at her own pace. From a social perspective, “it was actually a lot better.”
Teachers Cared a Lot More
Similarly, Kandyce was able to develop strong relationships with her teachers, something that had never been part of her experience in brick-and-mortar classrooms. Those connections made a dramatic difference for her academically.
“My teachers believed in me,” she says. They “cared a lot more.” At Great Lakes Learning Academy, Kandyce was supported by her teachers in a way she never had been before. “They always checked in on me and made sure I got my work done,” she explains. “If I needed anything at any time … they were always there and ready to respond.”
Kandyce graduated in 2024 and is now studying biology, chemistry, and art at Macomb Community College. Many of her classes are in-person. “It’s been a smooth transition,” she says. “Great Lakes Learning Academy prepared me because in virtual classes I was still able to develop the communication skills I didn’t have in brick-and-mortar school.”