What Online School Looks Like: A Student Day in the Life Q&A With Faith

By: Faith B., 12th grade student and SAC intern

SAC Blog Series: Each year, the K12 Marketing Department hires a cohort of high school interns known as the Student Advisory Council or SAC. This year, the talented group of students is creating social media content across platforms to help build brand awareness and engage our audiences around the online learning experience.

Let’s get to know these amazing SAC students. We asked them what makes online school so great, and here’s what Faith had to say.

My K12 Why

What do you like about online school? Why does online learning work for you?

The main thing I enjoy about online school is the flexibility. Rather than going from class to class in a rushed, almost repetitive, daily schedule, I can incorporate extracurriculars and more individualized studies in between my classes. It’s the perfect balance of flexibility and class instruction. I’m still an engaged student with structure throughout the week, but at the same time, I can complete the curriculum and assignments on my own time.

Did you previously go to a brick-and-mortar school?

Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I transferred to my brick-and-mortar school’s online program. I then aged out of the program and decided to go to a K12-powered school.

Why did you switch to online school?

I switched to online school because I was searching for a structured class schedule with synchronous classes, meaning live classes with teachers. Previously, I was working through an asynchronous curriculum, which involved going through prerecorded sessions on my own. I immediately understood that was the wrong option for me. I wanted a balance between a teacher-led live class setup and the ability to do my work more on my own time.

How was the transition to online learning?

The transition was super easy. I reached out to the customer service department at K12, and they guided my parents and me through the entire process of switching to the best option for me.

Compared to the other online school I had previously attended, K12 has been amazing. I have a schedule I follow each day, but there are also breaks in between my classes for me to incorporate sports, dual enrollment, individual college prep, etc. 

Did anything surprise you about online school?

What surprised me most about online school was the different platforms used. I’ve gone from using Zoom, Google Meet, Canvas, Blackboard, Google Classroom, NewRow, and now Engageli. Each online school seems to be structured differently, which can be challenging to adapt to, but once you learn the new system, things go smoothly from there.

My Online School Day

Can you describe a typical day and week for your virtual school experience?

A typical day for me includes about 3–4 live classes, 2–3 assignments due by the end of the day, and 1–2 emails sent out. For the rest of my week, I have the flexibility to add two college courses into my schedule each year, plus a variety of outdoor activities during the day. 

My favorite part of the day is probably the time between my afternoon classes. I love to walk around the neighborhood and break away from the computer screen! In the evenings, when I can learn the best, I can work on assignments, which I might not have had the flexibility to do while attending a brick-and-mortar school. 

What kind of classes are you taking right now?

I’m taking 12th grade English (British and world literature), Calculus 1, Cybersecurity, Computer Science 2, Yearbook Club, and Lifespan Developmental Psychology (my college-level dual enrollment course). 

Computer science and calculus are my favorites.

I’m currently taking a creative writing course and love writing based on prompts and story introductions. I also love writing with different mediums: playwriting, poetry, short stories, etc. More abstract topics are my strengths. 

Can you talk about your dual enrollment experience with your college classes?

I’ve been able to take college classes for the past two years, since I was a sophomore. I take courses through my local community college and focus on classes listed on MTA agreements (a special program in my state that helps transfer courses as general education credits at four–year state universities). It’s one of my favorite things about being online, since local brick-and-mortar schools don’t offer dual enrollment options unless I’ve exhausted an entire class line in a given subject.

What do you like to do on your breaks?

Lately, I’ve been taking a lot of college tours since I’m graduating in less than a month. I also work on assignments for my college course, spend time with friends and family, connect with nature, and take a breath of fresh air away from classes.

My Teachers & Classmates

Who is your favorite teacher?

Mr. Rock, my computer science teacher, is my favorite. My favorite teachers mainly have one thing in common—they break away from the curriculum. Rather than reading from a slideshow for each class, they incorporate discussion, questions, and engaging material to make the subject more enjoyable for my fellow students and me.

How do your teachers support you at online school?

My teachers have always understood that with online school, a lot of time can be spent staring at a computer screen. When there’s a week with a lot of assignments for my classes, the teachers assign optional modules to go through for extra credit. The best words to describe my teachers are “understanding,” “flexible,” and “hard-working.”

How do you stay connected with friends?

I stay in contact with some of the friends I made while attending my local brick-and-mortar school. I also try to stay engaged with different communities locally.

Have you met friends through online school?

At my school, social-related discussions in the chat between students are discouraged, and they don’t like us to share contact information, so I do wish more socialization was offered between students.

I have gotten to interact with other students in different school clubs, though. Over my four years at a K12-powered school, I’ve been involved in the Social Club, Esports, Peer-to-Peer Tutoring, SAT Club, Yearbook Club, and National Honor Society.

What activities or hobbies do you like to do in your free time?

My favorite hobbies include hiking, running, poetry, video games, going to art museums and the movies, hanging out at my local arcade, and building and upgrading PCs. I absolutely love to read!  I love to read romance novels, specifically. I read physical and Kindle books. My favorite authors are likely Suzanne Collins, Colleen Hoover, and Tahereh Mafi. 

The flexibility of online learning definitely helps me fit these hobbies into my week because I can incorporate all of these interests with my breaks between classes. 

Can you tell us about your workspace?

My workspace includes a lot of sentimental art pieces, family memorabilia, and photos all along the walls. It’s special to me because it’s thoroughly unique. I have more time to make sure I’m in a comfortable environment for studying and having fun.

What’s something you can do in online school that you couldn’t do in your old school?

Turn in assignments with a click of a button! I’m much more organized digitally than I ever was while attending a brick-and-mortar school. I have folders, bookmarks, and other ways of organization that help me keep track of each class a lot easier. Plus, the dashboard on my school’s homepage helps me view my assignments on a large scale. 

My Future

What do you want to do after high school?

I plan to attend college to earn a Bachelor of Computer Science. Hopefully, this degree can help me achieve my goal of becoming a software engineer.

Do you feel that online school is helping you prepare for the future?

When it comes to preparing for college, the biggest help is my own individual studying. Since I have time between my classes, I can use that flexibility to add my own career enhancement: studying computer science, learning programming languages, game design, etc. 

What advice do you have for other students and families considering the switch to a K12-powered online school?

Always keep track of assignments for each class. The daily dashboard can help you plan for items due that day, but keeping updated on an entire week’s view is a great way to prevent sudden due date surprises.

Thank you, Faith! To learn more about the K12 Student Advisory Council, visit their webpage, or see how your high school student can thrive in online school with K12-powered programs.

Faith is a 2025 student at a K12-powered school in MI, and their statement reflects their experience at their school.