Sarah
High School Student
Sarah is a 16-year-old junior at Missouri Connections Academy and creates oil paintings in the classical style, characterized by realistic portrayals of people. Her work has been shown in an Independence, MO gallery, and she has been meeting with representatives from several art colleges as she plans her future.
The Freedom to Advance at One’s Own Pace
Sarah spends much of her time painting, which is possible because of the flexibility of her school environment. “When I went to the in-person school, I had no time to paint,” said Sarah. “With online school, I do, and I can take the classes I want and actually learn.”
Sarah’s parents like the flexibility of online learning; in fact, two of her sisters are also Missouri Connections Academy students. “Rachel, Sarah's younger sister, is starting calculus and she's only 14,” they said.
Her father added, “Of course it's the job of any father to talk up the talents of his children, but in this case, the craftsmanship of Sarah’s work speaks entirely for itself. It is truly astonishing, especially considering that her mother and I lack the slightest measure of artistic talent!”
This freedom to advance at one's own pace would not be possible in a traditional learning space.
— Sarah’s father