RESTON, Va., June 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virginia Virtual Academy (VAVA), a statewide K-12 program of its partnering divisions, announced that its students earned the highest number of honors in the inaugural K12 Writing Competition, with eight winners—more than any other K12-powered online school in the nation. Competing alongside students from K12-powered schools nationwide, VAVA’s results reflect both the depth of talent within its student body and educators and the strength of the broader K12 learning community.
More than 2,000 K12-powered students across the country entered their writing into the inaugural writing competition for 2025. There were nearly 26,000 public votes cast for students’ entries across the competition. In recognition of their achievement, first-place winners receive a $250 prize. Their entries will be published in an official K12 Writing Competition book.
Winners included:
First Place Poetry
- Joanna Barela (3rd grade)
- Arvin Bahmani (6th grade)
Second Place Poetry
- Lovely Owens (Kindergarten)
First Place Fiction
- Ziad Abou Assi (3rd grade)*
- Hannah Barela (5th grade)
First Place Nonfiction
- Alisha Sherjeel (4th grade)
- Lucia Valencia (5th grade)
People’s Choice
- Ziad Abou Assi (3rd grade)*
- Rema Ajeeb (5th grade)
* Ziad won in 2 categories: 1st place Fiction and People’s Choice
All winning entries can be found here.
Two siblings at VAVA earned first-place honors in the People’s Choice category for their respective grade levels.
“As a parent of two children at VAVA, I am very proud of their success in this year’s writing competition,” said Rana Ajeeb, mother to fifth-grade student Rema and third-grader Ziad. “This is our first year at VAVA, and it has been a wonderful experience for our family. I’m especially thankful to the teachers for their support and encouragement of my children’s creativity and love of writing.”
“I’m incredibly proud of our students for stepping outside their comfort zones and sharing their voices through this competition,” said Becky Brumfield, fifth-grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and lead on the fifth-grade team. “At VAVA, we work closely with families to support students’ passions, and it’s inspiring to see their creativity and confidence shine through their writing.”
K12 has served millions of students nationwide, helping students access high-quality education from home through its network of online schools and programs, personalized tutoring, and accredited homeschool curriculum. A key part of the student’s experience is the student competitions that provide students with opportunities to shine in areas outside of the school day. These include an annual cook-off, robotics, photography, art and more.
“We were so impressed by the creativity and originality our students demonstrated in this year’s inaugural writing competition,” said Dr. Kenneth Moles, Executive Director of VAVA. “We are proud to celebrate each of these students for their outstanding achievements.”
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About Virginia Virtual Academy (VAVA)
Virginia Virtual Academy (VAVA) has been providing students statewide with a high-quality online education for more than 15 years. VAVA is a tuition-free program of 29 public school districts in Virginia. The school provides K-12th grade students personalized, supportive and innovative education through a student-centered approach that meets diverse learning needs. VAVA is powered by K12, a Stride, Inc. portfolio brand, which has been the nation’s leading provider of online education for 25 years. Learn more at vava.k12.com.
About K12
For 25 years, K12 has been a national leader in virtual education, serving more than three million students across the country. K12 provides families with flexible learning options, including online public and private schools, personalized tutoring and accredited homeschool curriculum. K12 is a portfolio brand of Stride, Inc.
Contact Data
Stacey Finkel
Stride, Inc.
703-304-1377
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