West Virginia Virtual Academy eighth grader Kianoosh Nawai of Charleston is one of 30 finalists in the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, the nation’s top middle school STEM research competition. His project is a low-cost, 3D-printed bionic hand inspired by his younger sister’s cochlear implant. Finalists, chosen from the Top 300, each receive $500 and will compete Oct. 23-28 in Washington, D.C., for more than $100,000 in awards.
Students at Arizona Virtual Academy and Insight Academy of Arizona make friends through K12 Zone, a moderated online space for clubs, virtual field trips and events like a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Seventh grader Deshawn Davis and his brother Donatello say friendships come easily there. AZVA interventionist Abbie Ochoa says the space motivates students to finish their work. This year, 825 AZVA and ISAZ students live in Pinal County.
Christiana “Roo” Truebenbach, a 17-year-old 11th grader at Washington Virtual Academies, will represent Team USA at the ICF Stand Up Paddling World Championships in Italy. She earned her spot at the USA SUP National Championships in Gig Harbor, winning the 10K, sprint and technical races and collecting four medals. She credits WAVA’s flexible schedule with helping her balance school, training and travel.
K12 Private Academy, the tuition-based private online school in the Stride network, ranks fifth among nine accredited online schools for New Jersey families. With no tuition-free virtual public school in the state, K12PA offers a large course catalog, a mature platform and established transcripts, making it a fit for families wanting course breadth from an established provider.