Online School Helped Crystal Find Her Voice, Her Community and Her Future 

While online learning provides opportunities and conveniences of studying at home, it also facilitates strong community and social connections. For Washington Virtual Academies (WAVA) student, Crystal, online learning has meant active community involvement and thriving engagement both inside and outside the virtual classroom. 

A Tacoma area resident entering her senior year at WAVA, Crystal has attended online school since kindergarten. Over the years, she’s discovered that online learning has provided not only the flexibility to pursue her interests but also a thriving community where she’s built friendships, developed leadership skills, and found new career aspirations. 

More Than an Online Classroom 

One of the biggest misconceptions Crystal hears about online school is that students don’t have opportunities to socialize. Through homerooms, clubs, virtual hangouts in the K12 Zone, competitions, and in-person outings, though, Crystal has connected with classmates from across Washington State and built friendships that extend beyond the classroom. 

“I feel like there’s a lot of social interaction at our school,” she shared. “We talk to students during meetings, we have clubs, and our teachers organize outings where we can meet each other in person.” 

Those experiences have helped create what Crystal describes as a welcoming and supportive school community where students feel safe and included. 

Discovering a Passion for Business 

One flyer shared in her virtual homeroom changed Crystal’s high school experience. She decided to give WAVA’s business club a try, not because she already loved business, but simply because it sounded interesting. Five years later, she’s still involved. 

Today, Crystal serves as a student leader in Business Professionals of America (BPA), formerly Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), where she’s participated in state competitions, virtual business challenges, stock market simulations, and leadership activities. 

As an officer, she’s helped create financial literacy lessons for fellow students while learning teamwork, communication, and organizational skills that have inspired her future career goals. Originally unsure of what she wanted to pursue after graduation, Crystal now plans to study accounting after high school. 

“I wasn’t interested in business at first,” she said. “But once I joined, it was actually a lot of fun.” 

Growing as a Leader 

Beyond BPA, Crystal is also active in WAVA’s Associated Student Body (ASB), where she’s held multiple leadership roles and enjoys helping create opportunities for fellow students. Whether collaborating on virtual events, planning activities, or announcing graduates during commencement ceremonies, she has learned that leadership is about serving others and building connections.  

Even though many students live hours apart, Crystal has met classmates during graduation and statewide competitions, experiences that transformed online friendships into lasting memories. 

Finding Balance Through Flexibility 

Outside of school, Crystal keeps busy in ways that reflect both her creativity and curiosity. She plays three musical instruments: piano, flute, and guitar, and creates digital animations, enjoys drawing and writing, helps care for her family’s six chickens, and spends time gardening and studying with her family. 

She also participates in Running Start through Tacoma Community College, balancing college coursework alongside her WAVA classes. The flexibility of online learning has allowed her to pursue all of these interests and more while staying focused on her education. A typical day includes leadership meetings, business club activities, college coursework, and time for music or creative projects in the evening. 

Learning Skills That Last Beyond High School 

Throughout high school, Crystal says one of the biggest lessons she’s learned is the importance of organization and perseverance. She relies on both WAVA’s assignment calendar and her own digital planner to stay on top of coursework, leadership responsibilities, and personal goals. Managing business competitions while balancing school wasn’t always easy, but those experiences taught her how to prioritize, work collaboratively, and push through challenging moments. 

“It’s really about perseverance,” Crystal said. “If you have a lot of stuff to do, you might feel like giving up, but it’s important to seek help from people around you and just keep going.” 

Crystal’s Future 

After graduating in 2027, Crystal plans to attend the University of Washington Tacoma and earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting. As she prepares for her senior year, she’s grateful for the teachers, advisors, classmates, and family members who have encouraged her every step of the way. 

Her story demonstrates that online education isn’t simply about learning from home; it’s about discovering passions, building meaningful relationships, developing leadership skills, and preparing for the future in an environment where students can thrive both academically and personally. For Crystal, WAVA has been more than a school. It’s been a place where flexibility opened doors, community built confidence, and every new opportunity helped shape the path toward her future. 

Back to Blog