Originally published on CEAM
On January 24th, the Children’s Education Alliance of Missouri (CEAM) along with hundreds of students, parents, and teachers gathered in Jefferson City in the capital rotunda for this year’s National School Choice Week. The student showcase was called The Impact of Options – Celebrating all Missouri Schools. The following remarks were given by Hannah a fourteen year old student at Missouri Virtual Academy.
Good afternoon, everyone!
It is such a pleasure and honor to stand before you all at National School Choice Week. Because of everyone here, and supporters all over the state of Missouri I get to be here and tell you how thankful I am for school choice. Since June of 2022, after years of advocating with my mom and other supporters for HB 1552 that allows all students in the state of Missouri to attend virtual education as a school option, I am a proud eighth grade student at the Missouri Virtual Academy also known as MOVA.
MOVA has allowed me to embrace my strengths and push myself through challenges I face pertaining to my education. You see I have dyslexia for many years my learning disability caused me to feel like a dummy and see myself as a failure. However, that all changed with support from my family and my teachers at MOVA. My teachers have put in 110 percent of their time to work with me in tutoring sessions, guiding me through my lesson plans, providing breakout sessions for my peers and I to work on various assignments as a team, and truly cheering me on every single school day. I am also thankful that I can call, text, or email my teachers throughout the day with any questions or concerns I have about my school assignments. MOVA always has my education and my peer’s education as a top priority. Because of their dedication and my determination to succeed I have a 4.0 GPA, and on the pathway to eventually graduating from MOVA and pursuing a nursing degree and becoming a travel nurse.
In closing, virtual education has been an answered prayer. My school educational choice has truly changed my life and proven to me that I am unstoppable when it comes to chasing my dreams. It is imperative that we all continue to support school choice options, which permitted my family and I to solely choose an education that fits my needs.
Thank you so much!
To learn more about Missouri Virtual Academy, visit https://mova.k12.com/.
