Achievement House hosts graduation

Achievement House Cyber Charter School graduates about 100 students

WEST CHESTER » Most graduation ceremonies take place at a school or on a football field, where students are surrounded by classmates they have known for years. For Achievement House Cyber Charter School students, many of them met their classmates in person at their graduation ceremony on June 17.

Achievement House (AHCCS), based in Exton, has students enrolled from almost every county statewide. The school awarded roughly 100 students who chose to earn their high school education online, with their diplomas. Students from AHCCS reside in dozens of counties scattered across Pennsylvania, but share virtual classrooms nearly every day.

“It is always exciting to have the opportunity to bring our students together in one physical location to celebrate an important milestone,” said Don Asplen, CEO of Achievement House. “Each year we look forward to graduation and watching as students who have met in the virtual classroom meet their peers and teachers face to face.”

Keynote speakers for the event included the Twin Poets – a Delaware based duo that encouraged students to have the power of self-expression. Administrators and AHCCS student Vianca-Lee Melendez Santiago, valedictorian, also addressed the graduates.

Special awards and achievements for the class of 2017 include: Valedictorian: ViancaLee Melendez Santiago, of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania; Salutatorian: Kristin Panfile, of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania; and National Honor Society Members: Kiana Burton and Madison Kaizen.

Achievement House Cyber Charter School is an independently-operated not for profit online public school authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to serve Pennsylvania students in Grades 7-12. School officials said the school offers a custom-designed, webbased computer platform, which provides nearly 500 students access from their homes to live virtual classrooms and interactive online coursework. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association, offers the unique Innovation Academy program giving students the opportunity to take classes in entrepreneurship, the maker movement and computer science. For more information visit: http://www.achievementcharter.com/

SUBMITTED PHOTO Achievement House Cyber Charter School students celebrate their graduation during a ceremony held at West Chester University.

Kristin Panfile, salutatorian, receives her diploma during the Achievement House Cyber Charter School graduation.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Achievement House Cyber Charter School students celebrate their graduation during a ceremony held at West Chester University.

Commencement speaker Al Mills speaks with an Achievement House Cyber Charter School student after graduation.

Graduate speaker Nnamdi Chukwuocha addresses Achievement House Cyber Charter School students after graduation.