Florida Virtual School’s Inaugural Graduation Ceremony: FLVS Full Time, Class of 2013

FLVS Full Time Graduation Ceremony, Class of 2013

I’ve been asked a lot of questions about Full Time Virtual Schooling, especially as a senior. I feel now is a good time to let the world know the answers since I have completed high school and graduated from FLVS Full Time (FT).

One misconception is that people think I wouldn’t know my teachers or have much contact with them. On the contrary, I had exceptional communication with my teachers and they were able to get to know me better than a teacher at a traditional school. I think this is because when I wrote my reports, essays, or speeches, they actually read my work and got to have one-on-one conversations with me, thus being able to look into my inner character.

FLVS President & CEO, Julie Young, speaking to the FLVS FT inaugural graduating class of 2013

My teachers were always available, even by text. Unlike the teacher in the schoolhouse who’s worn out from the discipline-problem students, these teachers were always eager to work with me.

Another question I am asked is, “Were your lessons educational and involved?” I have to say we had so much more time for each lesson that we were able to take a deeper dive into each topic. We could take our time understanding the lesson, and more often than not, had a teacher’s undivided attention. I learned so much more my senior year because of the way the curriculum was presented.

Everyone always worries about socialization as well. I learned as an FLVS student that school is not only about socialization, it is also about a real education. We had time to talk in the “live lessons,” we were able to email each other, and even participate in student functions.

The real experience, however, came through the collaboration assignments where our young minds got to collaborate with each other, talk about current affairs, and even joke around. It was a much more mature experience preparing us for the responsibility of being an adult and living in the world.

Being the very first FLVS FT senior class president, I was involved in many ground-breaking ventures with our school, and it was so exciting to be able to get things rolling for future classes. There are so many rewarding aspects of being an FLVS FT student – from being able to work more hours, to learning at my own pace, to having more individualized attention, and even more family time with my parents due to them being my learning coaches – but I’ll move on to graduation.

Graduates of the FLVS FT Class of 2013

When I got to the FLVS FT inaugural graduation ceremony held in Orlando, Florida on June 1, 2013, it was like we all knew each other. All the students were excited to meet, and our teachers were just as excited to put a face to our names. Granted, we were all nervous, but the experience was amazing! We had a real high school graduation, one that made us feel a little bit older, one that seemed to take our futures seriously.

I have never been part of a more supportive group of people, from the moment I signed up for FLVS FT, to the moment I received my diploma. It was a rewarding experience that could not have been matched no matter where I chose to go to school. FLVS FT has prepared me for the world and for college better than any traditional school could have ever done.

Congratulations to all of the graduating seniors of the Class of 2013.  Let’s not stop here. Let’s ride on to victory, to destiny, and to take on the world…to leave it a better place than when we first got here.

Craig Butler, Senior Class President
FLVS Full Time