Luci Wulfekuhle, a High School Counselor at the Iowa Virtual Academy, joined Iowa’s News Now to advise seniors on making the most of their final year and setting them up for success after graduation.
Read the full article and watch the clip on Iowa News Now here.
At Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy, an esports program uses competitive gaming like League of Legends and Rocket League to build teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. Students balance academics with structured team play similar to traditional sports. The program has helped students grow in confidence and engagement, including quieter students who became leaders. Supporters say esports develops real-world skills and can lead to careers in gaming, technology, and related fields.
Nikki Snow, a teacher at Indiana Gateway Digital Academy, co-authored a new book with her daughter Savannah, a sophomore at the same school, called “Finley the Fox and Her Fluttery Feelings.” The children’s book explores anxiety and mental health through storytelling. The pair said the school’s flexible online model helped them collaborate on the project. The story follows a fox learning to manage anxiety with support from friends, aiming to help children better understand and talk about emotions.
At 14, Leelan Gold of Centreville, a student at Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan, is close to becoming an Eagle Scout—an achievement only about 4% reach. He has earned 52 merit badges in three years and only needs to complete his Eagle Project, building about 100 birdhouses honoring veterans. Motivated by service and supported by flexible virtual schooling, he also pursues cybersecurity and programming and hopes to inspire others facing medical challenges.