Arkansas Virtual Academy to hold commencement ceremony

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Virtual Academy (ARVA) will celebrate the Class of 2018 at an in-person commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 12 at the First Baptist Church in Little Rock. An accredited, full-time, online public charter school serving students in grades K-12, ARVA is available tuition-free to students across the state.

Of this year’s graduating class of 90 students, more than a quarter are graduating with honors. Four graduates are recipients of the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship for outstanding academic achievement.

Collectively, the class reports having been offered nearly $650,000 in scholarships, and reports having been accepted to colleges and universities across the country, including: University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University, Evergreen State College, Arizona State University, Pulaski Technical College and Northwest Arkansas Community College.

“ARVA’s Class of 2018 is a testament to the power of personalized learning,” said Allison Cleveland, K12 Executive Vice President of School Services. “It is gratifying to know that the K12 learning model has empowered this class to unlock their true learning potential, setting them up for success as they begin the next chapter of their lives.”

Grace Turner will serve as valedictorian, is a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, and plans to attend Hendrix College. Mitchell Hendren will serve as salutatorian and plans to attend Arkansas Tech University. Both students, along with Cleveland will speak at the ceremony. Cleveland, as well as ARVA Head of School, Scott Sides, and graduating seniors will be available for media interviews.

ARVA students access a robust online curriculum in the core subjects and a host of electives, and attend live virtual classes taught by state-licensed teachers. ARVA graduates earn their high school diplomas as they explore their interests in a personalized, online learning environment.

Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows:

WHAT: Arkansas Virtual Academy 2018 Graduation Ceremony

WHEN: Saturday, May 12, 2018, 1:00 PM CST

WHERE: Little Rock First Baptist Church - 62 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, AR 72212