How a Batch of Cake Pops Turned into a Career Plan for This Tacoma Teen

For 17-year-old Tacoma resident, Holden, some of his most important school experiences haven’t happened inside a traditional classroom. They started in his own kitchen with a batch of cake pops, a laptop, and a virtual Baking Club. 

Holden, an incoming senior at Washington Virtual Academies (WAVA), has never attended a traditional high school. Instead, he has spent the past six years learning online, building friendships, exploring new interests, and discovering a path toward the future that combines his creativity with technology. 

Finding Community, One Batch at a Time

When people imagine online school, they may picture a student working independently behind a computer screen. For Holden, that picture misses an important part of his experience: the opportunity to connect with teachers and classmates in meaningful ways. 

One of his favorite examples is WAVA’s online Baking Club. Each month, students join their teacher for live virtual baking sessions from their own kitchens. They bake together in real time, troubleshoot when something doesn’t go as planned and celebrate their successes together. For Holden, the experience has been about much more than learning how to make a great dessert. 

He has shared decorated cake pops with kids in his Northeast Tacoma neighborhood, developed friendships with classmates from across Washington, and gained confidence through an activity he genuinely enjoys. The club has also helped him develop practical skills, including time management, that he has carried into other areas of his life. 

From Baking to Digital Arts 

While baking helped Holden build confidence and community, other WAVA experiences helped him begin thinking about what comes next. 

A field trip to DigiPen helped introduce him to opportunities in the digital arts, while a class in Adobe Premiere Pro sparked an interest in video editing and animation. Those experiences gave Holden the chance to explore creative fields while still in high school and to start thinking intentionally about the skills he wants to develop after graduation next year. Now, as he prepares for his senior year, Holden is already looking ahead. 

“I’m looking forward to next year because of all the activities that come with graduation,” Holden said. “But I’m also trying to find courses in media editing and animation — that’s what I’m hoping to get into as I get older.” 

When Flexibility Creates Room to Explore 

Holden’s experience offers a different perspective on what online learning can make possible for students with interests they want to pursue beyond the traditional school day. 

Rather than limiting his opportunities, the flexibility of online school has given Holden room to explore passions that matter to him from baking and creative clubs to digital arts and video editing. Along the way, he has had opportunities for live teacher support, collaboration with classmates, hands-on experiences, and in-person field trips. 

For students who are beginning to discover what they love, that flexibility can be an important part of the learning experience. It can give them space to follow a curiosity, develop a new skill and begin connecting what they enjoy today with the possibilities they see for their future. 

Preparing for What’s Next 

Holden’s journey also reflects the academic opportunities available to WAVA students as they prepare for life after high school. For Holden, it’s about figuring out what he wants to do next — and having the opportunity to explore those interests before graduation. 

Six years of online school have given him plenty of time to do just that. A baking club helped him discover confidence. A field trip opened his eyes to digital arts. A technology course helped turn an interest into a possible career direction. 

And now, with his senior year ahead, Holden is ready to see where those interests can take him. 

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