Turning the Tassels on the Pandemic: Michigan Virtual Academy Celebrates 2020 Graduates with Online Commencement Ceremony

Michigan Virtual Charter Academy (MVCA), an online public school serving students in grades K-12 throughout the state for the last 10 years, will cap off their school year by celebrating the Class of 2020 in an online commencement ceremony on Friday, June 26 at 7 pm.

MVCA is inviting all families and friends worldwide to join the celebration.

This year, MVCA will graduate 267 students, many of whom have been enrolled at MVCA for their entire high school career. Thirty students will graduate with a cumulative GPA above 3.5 and nearly $36,000 worth of college scholarships have been awarded so far.

Collectively, the school reports having students that have been accepted to colleges and universities across Michigan and beyond, including Michigan State University, Western Michigan, Grand Valley State University, Northern Michigan University, and Oral Roberts University.

"We all know that school has changed because of the coronavirus, and it's been a very challenging year for all Michigan students," said MVCA Head of School Randy Rodriguez. "Normally, we love to give our online students an in-person graduation, but given the times, we are excited for the opportunity to do what's right and celebrate with them online."

Kaytlin Schmidt, who graduated in just 3 years, is the Valedictorian, and plans to take a gap year off while spending her time volunteering. Rebecca Havelka is the Salutatorian and is attending Michigan State University. These students, as well as Mr. Rodriguez, will be available for media interviews.

Students enroll in virtual school for a number of reasons, including those looking for a safer learning environment free from bullying, those looking to get back on track academically, or those looking for an alternative to the traditional brick-and-mortar classroom setting. MVCA students access a robust online curriculum in the core subjects and a host of electives and attend live virtual classes every day taught by state-certified teachers.

Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows:

WHAT: Michigan Virtual Academy 2020 Graduation Ceremony
WHEN: Friday, June 26, 2020, 7 pm
CONTACT: For any questions, please contact Dr. Sheila Boehning, HS Principal, 616-309-1600 ext. 2602, [email protected]

About Michigan Virtual Academy

Michigan Virtual Charter Academy (MVCA) is a full-time online public charter school that serves Michigan students in kindergarten through 12th grade. As part of the Michigan public school system, MVCA is tuition-free and gives parents and families the choice to access the curriculum provided by K12, Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information visit mvca.k12.com.