Swimming is Claire Roussakis’s passion. The PALCS senior, who will attend Virginia Tech this fall and be a part of the swim team, began swimming competitively at age 7. As a high school student, she has competed on the national level.
For the past few years, Roussakis has been swimming up to three times a day. Sometimes, that means a practice at 5:30 a.m., followed by another one at 3 p.m.
Online school helps student-athletes
As a student in PALCS’s University Scholars Program (USP), Roussakis is taking challenging honors and AP-level courses virtually three days a week. Two days a week, she attends classes in-person instruction at PALCS’s building in West Chester.
Roussakis says the flexibility allows her to not get overwhelmed by all of her responsibilities. She even has time to explore hobbies, like making objects out of polymer clay (she’s particularly proud of a clay tea set she made, complete with clay biscuits) and painting with acrylic paint.
Before finding PALCS, Roussakis went a different cyber school that was offered through her local public school district following the early days of the pandemic.
“I have a lot of anxiety, so online school really helps me to be flexible with what I do,” Roussakis said.
Finding the right online school
Eventually, the online program Roussakis was attending shut down. The teachers who were teaching online classes were primarily focused on teaching in-person classes.
That’s when Roussakis and her parents decided to give PALCS a try. It’s a decision Roussakis says she doesn’t regret, and one she recommends to her friends when they ask her about attending an online school.
“PALCS has helped me to explore more classes and get out of my comfort zone,” Roussakis said. “If I were in a [brick-and-mortar] public school, I don’t even know if I would have done any Advanced Placement classes. I think I would have been too scared about the workload. But PALCS helped me be flexible with everything so I could take on the workload. We have a lot of teachers and staff who are really helpful.”
Making plans for the future
In the fall, Roussakis will become an NCAA Division One athlete, competing on the Virginia Tech swim team. She plans to major in psychology and minor in exercise science.
“I really want to be a swim coach. That’s my dream,” Roussakis said.
She’s already taking steps towards her dream, teaching swim classes in the summer.
Whether you are seeking an online high school in Pennsylvania to accommodate demanding athletic training or looking for a supportive virtual school that prioritizes student well-being, Claire’s story highlights the power of adaptable education. Hear more in this episode of Winging It.
