Amy
High School Student
Amy is a senior at Ohio Connections Academy and is the school’s first student to apply for an Arts Honors Diploma through the Ohio Department of Education. The program recognizes students who exceed minimum graduation requirements through rigorous coursework and who engage in robust, real-world experiences.
Starting Her Own Business
Amy started a business on Etsy selling digital and physical artwork that includes specially commissioned works, stickers, prints, ToonMe drawings, fan art, and more. Since starting her business, Amy has achieved almost 2,000 visits, 46 sales, and 14 five-star reviews. She started her shop because she loves drawing and takes great pride in the business because she’s done it all herself.
Last spring, Amy was named a winner of the College for Creative Studies (CCS) Fashion Design Competition and received a Resident honor. As one of 10 winners, she had the option to take a three-week, non-credit online Fashion Illustration course where students would learn essential fashion illustration skills to build their portfolios. The other option was to receive a scholarship to CCS if they enrolled in the school’s undergraduate Fashion Design program.
Preparing for the Future
Amy plans on attending college after graduating from Ohio Connections Academy. She’s interested in studying fashion design at one of the historically Black colleges and universities in North Carolina, like North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University or North Carolina Central University. Thanks to her experience at Ohio Connections Academy, she’s very comfortable learning online, which is why she’s also considering colleges that offer online courses.