State Board of Education Honors Arizona Virtual Academy Student From Scottsdale; Angela Sutton Is 2nd AZVA Student to Receive the Monthly Award
(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – May 7, 2024) – Angela Sutton, an 11th-grade student at Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA), a tuition-free, online K-12 public school providing personalized education, was a recipient of the Arizona State Board of Education’s April Student of the Month.
Sutton, 16, was nominated by Dr. Erica Young-Jackson, the career readiness education administrator for AZVA and its sister school, Insight Academy of Arizona (ISAZ), both powered by Stride K-12. Board of education members, including President Dr. Daniel P. Corr, presented Sutton with the award on April 22.
“We are so proud of Angela’s academic and extracurricular accomplishments — and the work she’s done in the community,” AZVA Executive Director Charles Woods, Jr. said. “She is a prime example of how AZVA students can create their own educational paths and get an early start on an exciting career. We congratulate her on this honor.”
The Arizona State Board of Education Student of the Month program honors the exceptional character, qualities and achievements of K-12 students statewide. Students can be nominated for personal attributes and character; academic, sports or extracurricular activities; community and school impact; civic engagement; and commerce/business.
The board honored Sutton for maintaining a 4.0 GPA, dual enrollment, community service and her accomplishments in HOSA – Future Health Professionals, an international career and technical student organization.
Sutton is president of the AZVA HOSA chapter and will be grand chapter president next year, overseeing HOSA clubs at AZVA and ISAZ. She won third place in HOSA’s prepared speaking competition at regionals and first place at state. She will compete in HOSA’s national competition in Houston in June.
The flexibility of AZVA scheduling has allowed Sutton to earn college credit through courses at Rio Salado Community College and Scottsdale Community College. She is considering studying health care or criminal justice after she graduates from AZVA next year.
“My goal for the future is to make a difference,” Sutton told board members on Monday. “I want to use my education and my passion for helping others in a way that will positively influence my community. I’m not sure how I will do this yet, whether it’s in health care or criminal justice. But my school — or schools, plural — has given me the opportunity to dive into all my interests and passions and make an education that works for me.”
Sutton is the second Stride K-12 student to receive the board’s Student of the Month award. ISAZ 11th-grader Sarah Israel of Glendale received the award in November.
Based in Phoenix, AZVA is a full-time, online K-12 public school. It is one of the largest virtual schools in the nation, with more than 5,000 students. AZVA is the only state-approved, online virtual school with a CRE/CTE program that trains students in career pathways ranging from cybersecurity and veterinary medicine to drone technology and engineering.
Video: Watch Sutton address the board and accept her award here: https://www.youtube.com/live/uf4bXQ7NYFw?feature=shared&t=780
About Arizona Virtual Academy
Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA) is an AdvancED-accredited, full-time online public charter school that serves Arizona students in kindergarten through 12th grade. As part of the Arizona public school system, AZVA is tuition-free and provides families the choice to access the curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride Company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information visit azva.k12.com.
