At this time of year, we are often reminded to express our thankfulness for the benefits we are privileged to enjoy. As parents, we are grateful for the freedom to choose an educational setting that is enabling our child to achieve academic success. 

Our [17-year-old] son, David, is enrolled in South Carolina Connections Academy (SCCA), a virtual public school that is available to students within our state. Before we discovered virtual schooling, our son was thriving in a traditional classroom setting, but he yearned to be challenged academically. We didn’t know much about virtual schooling, but after looking into the program, we learned that it offers high-quality curriculum and South Carolina-certified teachers.

As a student with SCCA, our son is able to choose a variety of courses, including Japanese and Web design, but we are also thrilled that he can enroll in Honors and AP core classes that fortify his future college and career goals. 

He is able to work at his own pace to complete assignments, and he can delve deeper into the topics that interest him without hindering the rest of the class. Because he has the freedom to work efficiently on lessons, he also has plenty of time for socialization. He participates in school-sponsored activities that often encourage family involvement, along with personal pursuits of his own choosing.

For our family and especially our son, virtual school is the ideal educational choice, and this is something we are truly grateful for this holiday season.

-- Frank, Marilyn, and David Thomas

West Columbia

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