Gabe
How a Pennsylvania Student Used POA to Build International Connections and the Confidence to Translate the Classroom to Career
When asked about his favorite subject in school, Gabe Schwartz, a Pearson Online Academy (POA) junior outside of Pittsburgh—quickly responded: “English.”
This has a lot to do with the fact that Gabe’s English teacher is really good at what she does. According to Gabe, “She makes everyone feel welcome. The class is fun and laid back, while still being rigorous. We learn a lot.”
And because POA is international, Gabe appreciates the chance to interact with students from all over the world. He has classmates hailing from places like France, Russia, and South Africa. He added, “You can actually see the Eiffel Tower from one of my classmate's windows.”
Together, the students read, write, and discuss a wide variety of topics. Recently, Gabe was able to write a paper and present to his class on the issue of whether—and how—— and teenagers should use social media.
Ultimately, the English class helps students develop strong communication skills, something that Gabe has already been able to put into practice in a career-oriented way. In this case, Gabe has used his writing and speaking skills to start a business where he talks to students and teachers about how to overcome bullying, a sad reality which he had personally experienced as a middle school student before arriving at POA. He said: “I want to help more students know how to deal with it. The focus is about how to stand up in the face of it instead of cowering away from it.”
To Gabe’s mom, Tracey Schwartz, a former teacher herself, POA has been a real game changer. She likes that the school is both international, providing her son with the chance to get to know students from all over the world, and focused on high-quality education that combines solid teaching with student-support via teachers who are caring and passionate about their work. “It’s been the best thing ever for us,” she said.
Tracey also loves that her son can complete his school work (often by lunch) and before heading to his other activities, which include tennis, working on his business, and participating in student-led clubs like Business Professionals of America, where he is a parliamentarian.
So, what’s it really like being a POA student?
According to Gabe, attending POA is a great experience. If you are coming from a more traditional school, he admits that POA it takes a little getting used to. Online learning is different than studying in a brick and mortar classroom, but once you get acclimated, the benefits are plentiful.
One benefit is the flexible hours and the ability to finish school more quickly than in a typical high school setting. On an average day, Gabe gets an early start, logging into his classes around 7:45am, and wrapping them up a few hours later. “It really is life-changing,” he said—because when he finishes his class work, he still has time to pursue other interests. “When most students are heading back to class after lunch, I get to participate in other lessons (like tennis) or clubs.”
Tracey also finds the academic aspect compelling. While the POA programs offer a lot of flexibility, they also present Gabe with the educational scaffolding – tailored support that builds over time to help students master new subjects– which allows him to move through subjects at his own pace. If he grasps something quickly, he can move on. If he needs more help and time to learn, the support is there and Gabe has time to slow things down until he gets the concept.
What about extracurricular activities? Does POA offer help there too?
Tracey was surprised at the sheer volume of clubs and activities that are available to the students outside class. “There are so many opportunities,” she said. “Way more than I thought there would be.”
So far, Gabe has been able to participate in a book club, a public speaking club, and, most importantly, Business Professionals of America (BPA). BPA is a well-respected national career and technical student organization for students pursuing careers in business management. In BPA, students learn about and compete in teams on subjects such as marketing, IT, management, finance, and more. BPA has tens of thousands of students who participate. Each year, the top students attend a national leadership conference where they present, compete, and network with other students and business professionals. Gabe, who is a student leader for Pearson, hopes to compete with his BPA team at the national competition during his senior year.
“The teachers make these programs really strong,” Tracey said.“ They bring energy and passion to each activity. Gabe really likes how the teachers interact and how they let the kids interact.”
Internships for High School Students
Though many parents and students are interested in internships, it is quite rare for a high school student to actually get one. To close the gap, POA has created a pre-intern program that helps students lay a solid foundation that will help them win internships with businesses, and to thrive in the internship once they land one.
This past year, Gabe applied to the newly created student internship and was awarded with a spot in the program.
How does it work?
Each week, mentors—Pearson employees along with professionals from other large companies—assign a business topic for the students to present on by Friday. The assignment and guidelines center around the creation of a well-ordered slide deck they will present to the mentors and other students.
According to Gabe, the biggest value of the internship was that it forced him to learn how to present on different topics (such as entrepreneurship) quickly. He said that in normal school work, teachers will often give students several weeks or more for similar assignments. Not the internship. He had to learn, organize, and present in a very short timeframe, which resembles what often happens in the business world.
Gabe also mentioned that such exercises forced him to think on his feet. Students had to work hard to refine and develop their stories, communication, and presentation styles in order to perform well in an actual business environment.
In addition, the teamwork within the internship was ideal. The internship afforded Gabe another chance to meet new students and to work with people he would have never otherwise interacted with.
The biggest surprise for Gabe? He was amazed at how the skills he gained in the internship translated so readily to the real world.
Advice to Future POA Students
So, what is Gabe’s advice to anyone who is thinking about enrolling at Pearson Online Academy?
“Don’t hesitate.”
Gabe has been thoroughly pleased with every aspect of attending POA. “Many students are concerned about having a social life or making friends,” he said. “At POA, this has been easy. There are many opportunities to meet people. It is a very kind community.”
Tracey also said she has been pleasantly surprised with how well everything has gone. The school is both challenging and supportive. Teachers care. They check in constantly. In the beginning, she was afraid that she and Gabe would be on an “online island,” but that hasn’t been the case at all.
Ultimately, POA is setting Gabe up for success, and much of this has to do with the fact that the classwork and extracurricular activities have upped Gabe’s confidence and abilities in ways he never thought possible.
Tracey said: “POA has given him the confidence and foundational skills which will help him do well in college. The classes have equipped him with the ability to deal with roadblocks that happen and how to figure things out when they do. In other settings he would get stuck, but not at POA. At POA he had learned how to ask questions, to seek help, and to find the resources that will help him.”
Gabe’s goal after high school is to attend college and to grow his own business. POA’s college and career resources have helped him focus on his interests, and have given him a solid structure for both exploring colleges that will be a good fit and for preparing to apply to those colleges. According to Tracey, “The resources take you through a process that helps you figure things out. It allowed us to be more organized.”
Gabe also recalled how one career exploration class helped him better understand how businesses can use social media to communicate and market themselves. “The biggest thing I learned was how you can use these platforms to measure the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. The analytics contained in the platform helps you see where your marketing spend has the best impact.”
Overall, Pearson Online Academy has been a just-in-time school option, giving Gabe Schwartz confidence, important skills, and a solid foundation during his formative high school years.
If you would like to learn more, please contact us.
“It’s been the best thing ever for us!”
— Tracey, Gabe's Mom