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Community Corner

The Education of a Military Child

With the recent conclusion of the Month of the Military Child (in April), it is important to take a closer look at those children impacted by having a mother or father serving in the Armed Forces. According to Do Something, more than two million children have had a parent deployed at least once since 2001. Because of this, children in military families often experience disrupted relationships and education because of frequent moves and distress at home. Such hardships lead some military children to enroll in virtual schools so that it will allow them the flexibility to spend more time at home with other family members while staying on track with their education. Below is Great Lake Cyber Academy student, Aurora’s experience. Aurora is the daughter of a Navy sailor.

I am a military kid and my dad is in the US Navy.  He has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  Being a military kid is unique because we move a lot and I am separated from my dad quite a bit.  Currently, he is stationed in Tennessee and I live in Michigan. I am a freshman at Great Lakes Cyber Academy, an online public high school located in Michigan. I attend a virtual school because my education is important to me and Great Lakes Cyber Academy provides the necessary flexibility to support my lifestyle. 

Throughout my life I have experienced many different schools; some of my experiences were good and others bad.  When my father was sent to Tennessee, I tried a large traditional high school and soon found myself feeling alone while existing in the masses.  The school did not allow me to embrace my creativity or push beyond what was asked.  My family challenged me to find a solution to this problem and I found Great Lakes Cyber Academy.  This was the best decision I could have made, as attending school online gives me the opportunity to be unique and recognized.  My education is what will create opportunities in my life.    

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When I moved to Michigan, I attended Lansing Charter Academy (LCA), a K-8 public charter school, where they worked with me to overcome my confidence issues and belief in myself.  While at LCA I achieved my second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and served as student body secretary for one year and president for my last two.  LCA helped instill in me a new sense of confidence that I could achieve my dream to become the first female Blue Angel pilot or a Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer.  I would like to earn a college scholarship, an NROTC scholarship or an appointment to the US Naval Academy to reach my goals.

Great Lakes Cyber Academy provides me with academic excellence and my teachers care about who I am and take the time to help me to learn, challenge and better myself.  This school empowers me to reach further within and to dig deeper into my understanding of the course work.  This school allows me the opportunity to learn things that I will apply to my life and use in society.  This is not a school where one learns the “cliff notes,” but rather it is a school where one can evaluate and think outside of the box.  I believe this will help me succeed not only in college but throughout my life.   

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