Local Students Receive Academic Honors from National College Board

(COLUMBUS, OH) - Three central Ohio students from Ohio Connections Academy, a tuition-free, full-time public virtual school serving K-12 students throughout the state, recently earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs, recognizing their hard work and strong academic performance.

Christopher Ruvalcaba Ortega, a senior from Columbus, was awarded a National Hispanic Recognition Award and Jordan Smith, a junior from Westerville, and Samira Hassan, a senior from Columbus, each were awarded a National African American Recognition Award. The academic honors for rural area, Black, Indigenous, and/or Latino students are an opportunity for students to share their strong academic achievements with colleges and scholarship programs that are seeking to recruit diverse talent.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate our students and recognize them for their strong academic performance in the classroom and on College Board assessments,” said Marie Hanna, Ohio Connections Academy Superintendent. “Our students pride themselves on being strong, independent learners who take control of their academic experience to fit their unique needs. This academic achievement reinforces their determination is truly an asset for their future.”

Christopher enrolled in Ohio Connections Academy in 2018 to be in a learning environment where he could work at his own pace. With that flexibility, he said he can work through his classes faster than he could in a traditional brick-and-mortar school. If a lesson is more challenging, he can take things slower to understand the material before moving on. Christopher hopes to one day become a video game developer and a software engineer.

Jordan enrolled in Ohio Connections Academy in 2021 after discovering that they preferred learning in a virtual classroom when schools switched to remote learning during the pandemic. Jordan is a competitive tap-dancer and Ohio Connections Academy gives them the flexibility to balance schoolwork with their rehearsal and travel schedules. They said that they also have access to challenging courses with very supportive teachers.

Samira has been attending Ohio Connections Academy since 2012. She said she is more comfortable working from home and enjoys working on her own time and at a pace that fits her needs. She also appreciates how invested her teachers are in her success. After graduation, Samira plans to enroll in a 2-year college then transfer into a 4-year college. With the flexibility that Ohio Connections Academy offers, Samira said she has been able to take college courses and gain insight into the college experience.

The College Board National Recognition program’s criteria for eligible students include:

· GPA of 3.5 or higher.

· PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 assessment scores that are within the top 10 percent of assessment takers in each state for each award program or earned a score of 3 or higher on 2 or more AP Exams in 9th and 10th grade.

· Attend school in a rural area or small town, or identify as African American/Black, Hispanic American/Latino, or Indigenous/Native.

Eligible students are invited to apply on BigFuture during their sophomore or junior year and are awarded at the start of the next school year in time to share their achievements in high school as they plan for the future. At the same time, colleges and organizations using College Board’s Student Search Service™ can connect directly with awardees during the recruitment process.

“It’s becoming increasingly hard for students to be ‘seen’ during the college recruitment process. We’re exceptionally proud of the National Recognition Programs for celebrating students who are at times overlooked but have shown their outstanding academic abilities,” said Tarlin Ray, senior vice president of BigFuture® at College Board. “This is a benefit not only for students but also for colleges and universities committed to recruiting diverse and talented students.”

Virtual school is a great fit for a variety of students and each student is unique. Those who attend Ohio Connections Academy come from different backgrounds and choose full-time online school for various reasons. Some students prefer to take ownership of their education and benefit from the flexibility that virtual school offers, while others are looking for a safe learning environment.

For families interested in learning more about Ohio Connections Academy and how a virtual education may benefit their student, or to begin the enrollment process for second semester, please visit www.OhioConnectionsAcademy.com or call (800) 382-6010.