Amber
Connections Academy Alumni and Learning Coach
Fifteen years ago, Amber graduated from Ohio Connections Academy. She built a life, then started a family. And, when it came time for her son to begin his education, she “didn’t even check into any other schools.” Now, in our 21st academic year, Ohio Connections Academy believes that Amber’s story of multiple generations at the school will be one of many to come.
Landing on Her Feet
Amber’s experience at a traditional high school didn’t end well. At age 18, she was looking to begin her adult life, so she transferred to an online school in order to balance classes and her full-time job. A year later she was set to graduate—only to be denied due to credit deficiency. Amber was devastated. She considered giving up, until she discovered Ohio Connections Academy.
“Finding Ohio Connections Academy was the best thing to happen to me,” Amber says. “I was determined… to become the best I could be.”
She recalls how helpful and supportive her teachers were. Whenever she had a question about an assignment, or didn’t understand something, or even if she needed to change a class, she could always rely on their help. Amber recalls how immensely proud she was to graduate, to walk across the stage to receive her diploma. “Having such wonderful teachers, who knew I could go the distance and graduate as a 19-year-old living on my own, made such a difference,” she says.
I truly wish for Ohio Connections Academy to one day be recognized as the No. 1 online school because, in my mind, it already is.
—Amber
Like Mother, Like Son
For the next several years, Amber continued to build a life of her own. In 2017, she married a marine veteran and together they welcomed their son Liam the following year. When it was time for him to start kindergarten, she and her husband “were dead set on Ohio Connections Academy.” With specific healthcare-related needs, a traditional brick-and-mortar school wasn’t an option, but the family wanted to make sure Liam still had a wonderful educational experience.
Everything is going well for Liam—and his mom. Amber notes that the learning platform has improved significantly since she was a student. And, most importantly, she’s settling into her new role as Liam’s Learning Coach. “I look forward to watching how my son develops at Ohio Connections Academy,” she says, “and someday seeing him walk across the stage to get his diploma.”
