This year, a new group of seniors has come in, and they are getting ready for the next stage of their lives. As they begin their final year of high school, they look back at their time at GWUOHS and all the experiences they have had.
Senior Hannah O. joined GWUOHS in 2021 as a freshman and lives in Sierra Leone.
“Where I live is one thing that has made my high school experience quite different,” Hannah said. “Being in Sierra Leone gives me a lot of opportunities I wouldn’t have anywhere else, while also restricting me from some opportunities that I would have in other countries.”
GWUOHS offers admission to a wide range of students from many different countries. Because of this, students like Hannah can get an education from anywhere and have a flexible high school experience. This is something that Hannah has taken advantage of from her home in Sierra Leone. She added that GWUOHS gave her the best opportunity to make friends through the many clubs offered.
As they get further into the year, seniors begin to contemplate their futures.
Julian W., a student since 8th grade and former student council vice president, says that the online school experience has given him the chance to work on extracurricular projects over the last three to four years. He calls this “experiential learning.”
When asked what aspect has helped him make friends, he said his time as a peer mentor and many of GWUOHS’ unofficial group chats have helped him connect with others. GWUOHS has many school-made chats where students are encouraged to connect with their fellow students, come together to talk about life outside of school and make life-long friends and connections.
Amanda, another senior, says the most unique part of her experience in online learning is having the ability to spend more time with her friends and family.
Over the last four years, she had the opportunity to travel with her family and spend time with them as they grow. This is something she said has made her high school experience more enjoyable. She was able to go to her favorite place Disney World many times throughout the year because of the ability to plan her schedule. The ability to have a fuller social life because of their online education was something that many seniors had in common.
Doing virtual learning and making friends can be hard, but senior Jihee K. recalled how easy it was for her.
“I find that being online can make it easier to make friends because you can easily get in touch with them – just by sending a message on Skype,” Jihee said. “I remember in 9th grade I made ten-plus new friends in a group chat, and we had calls almost every day. That added a really fun aspect to the start of my online school journey.”
Staff is an important part of any learning environment, program or school. These seniors offered their gratitude to the staff who have helped them on this educational journey.
“Mr. Kelly and Mrs. Nielsen are staff members who have made the transition to online school much easier, both from an academic standpoint and a social one,” Hannah noted.
“My advisor, Mrs. Nielsen,” Amanda said. “She’s always there to support, listen, and sometimes chastise me – but God knows I need it.”
“Mrs. Overacker – she helped accustom me to the student council when I was VP,” Julian added.
Jihee said that she appreciates all the staff members at GWUOHS.
“I cannot choose one staff member because they are all so amazing,” Jihee said. “I’m so glad to be a part of such a supportive community.”
