GCA Hootworthy

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Latest Episodes:

Kayleigh's Hootworthy Journey from Eventing to Entrepreneurship! Nov 21, 2024

In our recent Hootworthy interview, we chatted with Kayleigh, a 7th grader at GCA who's making waves in both the horse eventing and entrepreneurial worlds. Kayleigh started riding horses at the age of five, and her love for horses led her to the exciting sport of horse eventing. Her ten-year-old horse, Bold, has been her trusty companion for the past two years and is a big fan of the horse treats she makes.

Kayleigh's horse treats business began four years ago when she wanted to make special goodbye treats for a horse who was leaving. Using simple ingredients like flour, molasses, and royal icing, her treats are even safe for humans to eat. Friends loved her creations, and soon enough, she was selling treats at shows, via her website, and through Instagram. Kayleigh often walks around horse shows with a wagon full of treats, and her business thrives at these events.

For those unfamiliar with horse eventing, there are three phases: dressage, cross country, and show jumping. Kayleigh and Bold compete in dressage and show jumping but aren’t quite ready for cross-country, even though it’s Kayleigh’s favorite phase. She trains five days a week, working with her trainer to perfect their performance. Kayleigh's commitment to training paid off when she won a contest on Instagram, earning a chance to meet Canadian Equestrian Team athlete, Hawley Bennett-Awad, and her celebrity horse, Jolly Bo, at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, where she personally delivered her homemade treats. Check out this article that features her experience.

Balancing her schooling with her busy schedule, Kayleigh appreciates GCA's flexibility, allowing her to attend horse shows and catch up on classes through recordings. She gives a big shoutout to her supportive mom, her fantastic teachers, and of course, Bold, for making her achievements possible. Kayleigh's story is a true testament to what hard work and creativity can accomplish. Stay hootworthy, Kayleigh!

Abby's Hootworthy Work-Based Learning Success! Nov 06, 2024

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In our latest Hootworthy interview, we chatted with Abby, a 2023 GCA graduate who found great success through GCA's work-based learning program at Zaxby’s. Abby’s journey began in 10th grade when she started working at Zaxby’s and later joined the Work-Based Learning Program thanks to a teacher’s suggestion. This program allowed her to balance work and school effectively, earning credit hours while gaining valuable on-the-job experience.
Abby set her sights on becoming an assistant manager and achieved that goal shortly after graduation. She chose Zaxby’s because she loved the brand, and the Work-Based Learning Program helped her grow as a worker while still attending school. Now, as an assistant manager, she’s responsible for leading a team of 8-10 people per shift, handling various challenges, and ensuring customer satisfaction. Her days are dynamic, with each day bringing new tasks and situations.

Balancing work and college, Abby works 35-45 hours a week, a feat she manages thanks to the skills she developed during high school. Reflecting on her high school experience, where she worked around 20 hours a week, Abby credits the Work-Based Learning Program with preparing her for her current schedule. She believes communication is key to leadership and stays open to dialogue with her team, leaders, and customers.

One of Abby’s most memorable moments was meeting Zack, the founder of Zaxby’s, who visited her store and had a meal. She advises students in work-based learning to go out and find a job, learn new skills, and enjoy the experience. For those who already have a job, she points out the benefits of earning credits while gaining work experience.

Looking ahead, Abby hopes to graduate from college and continue her career at Zaxby’s, potentially staying in the store. She gave a heartfelt shoutout to her school, the teacher who introduced her to the work-based learning program, and her company and boss for their support and guidance. Abby’s story is a great example of how work-based learning can lead to success and personal growth. Stay hootworthy, Abby

Meet 4 Hootworthy Students Who Became Published Authors! Sep 26, 2024

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In our latest Hootworthy interview, GCA students Jack, Michael, Gabe, and Joey shared their exciting journey of becoming published authors. From adventurous frogs and missing brothers to a popcorn-obsessed boy and a fox finding its way home, their creative stories and unique challenges offer a glimpse into their imaginative worlds. Balancing school and writing, these young authors have shown that with drive and support, anything is possible.

Student is Hootworthy Junior National Champion Gymnast! Aug 29, 2024

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In our latest Hootworthy interview, we caught up with Luke, a 10th grader at GCA, who’s making waves in the gymnastics world. Luke is not just any gymnast; he competes in Trampoline, Double-Mini, and Tumbling at the Junior Elite level. With only three other athletes in the U.S. achieving this level across all three events, Luke’s accomplishments are nothing short of extraordinary. You can check out Luke’s bio here.

One of Luke’s standout achievements is being crowned the 2023 Tumbling National Champion at the USA Gymnastics Championships. He also earned a spot on the 2024 U.S. Junior National Tumbling Team, and he’s currently ranked 4th in the world in Tumbling for his age group—an impressive feat he secured at the World Age Group Championships in Birmingham, UK. Despite his rigorous training schedule, which includes three-hour daily practices and intense speed programs, Luke manages to balance his academics thanks to the flexibility GCA offers. He often squeezes in schoolwork during lunch breaks and appreciates how understanding his teachers are about his schedule.

Luke’s journey into gymnastics began when his mom signed him up for a parkour class to help him manage his OCD. A gym coach spotted his potential, and the rest is history. Even with a few stumbles—like the time he fractured his ankle at the gym—Luke has remained committed to mastering gymnastics. Making the national team was his most memorable moment, but he admits to often tripping right after nailing a solid routine.

Looking ahead, Luke has his sights set on competing in the Olympics for Trampoline and the World Games for Tumbling. He advises aspiring gymnasts to expect to fall a lot, but don’t be too hard on yourself. Learn from the falls, get back up, and keep going. With his achievements and the support from GCA, Luke’s story is a testament to what commitment and tenacity can achieve. Stay Hootworthy, Luke!

GCA's Hootworthy 2024 Valedictorian May 16, 2024

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In our recent Hootworthy episode, we caught up with Yusuf, GCA's 2024 Valedictorian. He shared some interesting insights into his journey to the top, what motivates him, and his future plans.

Yusuf’s uniqueness stems from his drive for excellence, rooted in his search for deeper meaning in life because he believes you can’t have excellence without purpose. He grounds his purpose in his faith and in making a positive impact on society. Despite facing personal challenges like his mom's battle with cancer during 9th grade, Yusuf remains focused on his goals and stays positive.

Outside of his studies, Yusuf enjoys unwinding with hobbies like jogging or gardening–anything that helps clear his mind. Reflecting on his time at GCA, he values the unique learning environment that fosters continual discussions between classmates and teachers, allowing for a deeper understanding of the material.

Looking ahead, Yusuf is determined to pursue a career in medicine, aspiring to become an oncologist. He's driven by the opportunity to directly help others and make a meaningful impact through his knowledge and experience. When it comes to advice for his classmates, Yusuf emphasizes the importance of starting with self-improvement before trying to change the world. It's this grounded perspective that continues to guide him on his journey to success.

Yusuf's story serves as an inspiration, reminding us of the importance of perseverance, purpose, and self-improvement. As he begins his journey towards becoming an oncologist, we can't help but admire his determination to make a difference. Before we wrap up the interview, Yusuf extends a heartfelt shoutout to his parents, counselors, teachers, and brothers for their unwavering support and encouragement. With their guidance and his purposefulness, Yusuf is destined for greatness.Stay hootworthy, Yusuf!

Student is Hootworthy Explorer of the Year Apr 23, 2024

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In our latest Hootworthy podcast episode, we had the pleasure of chatting with Noah, who recently earned the title of Sumter County Fire Rescue Post #343 Explorer of the Year. He noted that this award means that if he works hard, then he can accomplish great things in fire rescue. Noah's journey reveals that a strong purpose and work ethic can lead to success.

Joining the fire department's explorer program and training for firefighting and emergency medical services was a thrill for Noah. Inspired by his great grandfather and the work of local firefighters, he welcomed the journey with enthusiasm and grit. He also noted how grateful he was for the relationships formed and mentors gained along the way.

Winning the title of Explorer of the Year highlights Noah's hard work, positive attitude, and dedication. From mastering firefighting techniques to practicing his skills in first aid, Noah's commitment to service shines. He shared with us his experiences, such as using the jaws of life, putting on firefighting gear in less than two minutes, practicing communication drills, and learning how to interact well with others in a hierarchy, showcasing the variety of the program.

As Noah continues his journey towards becoming a firefighter and EMT, his story serves as an example and inspiration for others who would like to pursue a career in firefighting and emergency medical services. Noah sent shoutouts to his friends, family members, and leaders in the explorer program for all the help he has received. Congratulations again to Noah on this well-deserved honor, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for him. Stay Hootworthy, Noah!

Student is Hootworthy Barrel Racer! Mar 28, 2024

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In the latest episode of Hootworthy, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Emalee, an eighth-grader at GCA who is making waves in the world of horse barrel racing. Inspired by her love for horses and the thrill of the rodeo, Emalee embarked on her barrel racing journey in 2020 after attending a rodeo and being captivated by the event's speed and daring nature.

For Emalee, barrel racing isn't just about racing around barrels; it's about building a deep connection with her horse, Yuma. Leading up to each event, Emalee spends as much time as possible with Yuma, getting in the zone and practicing the cloverleaf pattern that defines barrel racing competitions.

Despite the challenges and pressures of competition, Emalee remains focused on her goals and aspirations. With dreams of turning pro and competing in lucrative rodeos, she's continuously working to improve her time and skill, aiming to shave off those crucial seconds to reach the professional level.

When asked about her experience at GCA, Emalee highlights the flexibility the school offers, allowing her to balance her academic studies with her passion for barrel racing seamlessly. She's grateful for the support of her teachers, Ms. Schools and Ms. Woodson, who have played a pivotal role.

Your GCA family is rooting for you, Emalee, as you continue chasing your dreams in the world of barrel racing! Stay hootworthy, Emalee!

GCA's 2023 Hootworthy Teacher of the Year! Feb 29, 2024

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In our most recent Hootworthy podcast episode, we had the privilege of sitting down with Ms. Marian Hoyt, GCA's 2023 Teacher of the Year. With over a decade of teaching experience, including three years at GCA, Ms. Hoyt brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the classroom.

When asked about her time-travel destination, Ms. Hoyt’s imagination took her back to the 1700s in the United States. She envisioned herself amidst the passionate debates surrounding the Constitution, intrigued by the historical significance and relevance of the discussions.

Ms. Hoyt’s journey into teaching was deeply rooted in childhood dreams of playing school and educating her stuffed animals. It was her high school AP English teacher's unwavering passion for teaching that ultimately inspired her to pursue a teaching degree at Georgia State University.

Despite the challenges of balancing coursework and a full-time job, Ms. Hoyt persevered, landing a long-term substitute position before securing a full-time teaching role. Her favorite aspect of teaching lies in the connections she forms with her students, from heartfelt conversations to unexpected gestures like a student making her a small chair as a token of appreciation.

Although Ms. Hoyt’s expertise lies in teaching ELA and SS, if she could teach something else for a day, she'd opt for math, drawn to its logical and problem-solving aspects. Her advice for fellow educators, students, and parents at GCA emphasizes the importance of communication, participation, and maintaining a positive attitude.

Beyond the confines of the classroom, Ms. Hoyt enjoys outdoor adventures, hiking, and quality time with her furry companion. She expresses gratitude for the unwavering support of her colleagues and leadership team, whose guidance has been instrumental in her teaching journey.

Ms. Hoyt's dedication to her students and her enthusiasm for education make her a standout teacher at GCA. Her journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of teaching and the enduring impact educators have on shaping young minds. Stay Hootworthy, Ms. Hoyt!

Student Runs Hootworthy Cat Rescue! Feb 01, 2024

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In our latest Hootworthy episode, we had the pleasure of chatting with Autumn, an eighth-grader at GCA who is also a compassionate cat rescuer. Her journey into the world of cat rescuing began when a family property became a refuge for a feral cat colony. Autumn, alongside her grandmother, embarked on a mission to rescue kittens and prepare them for their forever homes.

With three years of professional cat rescue experience and a total of eight years dedicated to the cause, Autumn shared the details of their approach. For feral cats, the goal is to catch, spay or neuter, and release, unless the feline can be tamed for eventual adoption. The methods involve live traps, strategically designed metal boxes with enticing food, and a drop trap for more elusive subjects.

Autumn shed light on the heartwarming efforts to find suitable homes for non-feral cats after spaying or neutering. From rescuing multiple kittens at once to daring escapades, like retrieving a lost kitten stuck in a tree near a dog park, every experience in cat rescue has left an unforgettable mark.

A poignant lesson Autumn shared was the importance of not judging someone's circumstances, a wisdom gleaned from her cat-rescue endeavors. As she navigates her eighth-grade year at GCA, Autumn appreciates the flexibility the school provides, allowing her to seamlessly balance education with her passion for cats.

Autumn, your dedication to rescuing our feline friends is commendable! Keep up the fantastic work, stay hootworthy, and continue making a positive impact in the lives of these furry companions.

Student Creates Hootworthy Lego Stop-Motion Videos! Nov 30, 2023

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In our latest Hootworthy podcast episode, we had the pleasure of chatting with Braylen, a talented 10th grader who crafts captivating Lego stop-motion films. We first discovered Braylen's skill when he submitted a video for GCA's Got Talent, our annual virtual showcase. Little did we know, he already had a collection of over 130 videos on his YouTube channel, Epic Brick Films.

Braylen's stop-motion process involves detailed steps: constructing sets, selecting figurines, scripting stories (or improvising), and meticulously capturing each frame. His talent show submission, a two-minute video, required a six-hour effort—a testament to his dedication. Over four years into creating Brick films, Braylen utilizes simple yet effective equipment like his phone, a tripod, and editing software, showcasing content ranging from Marvel and Star Wars to DC Comics and original concepts.

When asked which character he'd bring to life, Braylen chose the Mandalorian for an exciting armor-building day, including a jet-pack of course! Yet, his craft isn't without challenges; managing lighting nuances is crucial to avoid shadows and flickers that could compromise a shot. Offering advice to GCA students, Braylen emphasizes perseverance and pushing through challenges.

For Braylen, GCA's greatest perk is the ability to work without distractions, a conducive environment for his creative endeavors. As he gears up for next year's GCA's Got Talent, Braylen sends shoutouts to his supportive parents and brother. You can catch a glimpse of his impressive work on his YouTube channel, Epic Brick Films. Thanks for representing GCA so well, Braylen, and stay Hootworthy!

Student Earns 3rd Place at Hootworthy 4H State Congress Competition! Oct 26, 2023

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On the latest episode of Hootworthy, we had the pleasure of hosting Shawna, a 2023 graduate of GCA, who achieved 3rd place at the 4-H State Congress competition during the summer. In our conversation, we explored the world of 4-H youth clubs and the valuable experiences they offer. These clubs delve into a wide array of subjects, from STEM to healthy living and leadership, providing numerous opportunities for young learners to compete and engage in exciting activities.

Shawna's journey into the 4-H world was unique. Typically starting
in the 5th grade, she managed to get involved earlier due to her older
brother's participation, often attending meetings with him. Her initial
motivation for joining 4-H was to find social opportunities, as she confessed
to being a bit shy in her earlier days. 4-H played a pivotal role in helping
her overcome her shyness, connect with people, and build lasting friendships.
One of her most cherished experiences was as a teen leader at Rock Eagle.

While Shawna's journey through 4-H brought her numerous life
lessons, one of the most valuable was the art of public speaking. In fact, many
of the 4-H competitions she participated in revolved around public speaking
opportunities, which reinforced her communication skills and boosted her
confidence.

The 4-H State Congress competition, where Shawna achieved 3rd
place, is no small feat to reach. Participants typically need to win at
sweepstakes or place at district competition to earn their spot. Shawna's
ticket to the State Congress was her 2nd place victory at district competition.
For this competition, Shawna showcased her crochet skills while presenting her
beautiful, crocheted figurines. The competition itself took place in a hotel
and spanned several days.

During her journey, she practiced her speech with a friend on the
first night, then faced a panel of judges on the second day, answering their
questions and delivering her presentation. The competition ended on a high note
with a silent disco, where everyone, winners, and participants alike, danced
the night away with headphones on. Winners were announced at the end of the
night, and to Shawna’s excitement, she heard her name ringing out as the 3rd
place winner, a well-deserved recognition of her talent and hard work.

As we wrapped up our conversation, Shawna reflected on her time as
a GCA student. She highlighted the unique privilege of attending school in the
comfort of her own home, often in her pajamas—a freedom that made her academic
journey more enjoyable. Shawna also expressed her deep appreciation for the
teachers who supported her. In addition, she gave a heartfelt shoutout to her
mentors in Polk County 4-H, Williams and Ridgeway, who encouraged her to
explore her potential and discover her passion for crochet. This was the
beginning of her road to the State Congress, a journey that she'll cherish for
a lifetime. Stay hootworthy, Shawna!

Hootworthy GCA Sisters Form Rising Country Music Group, The BoyKinZ! Sep 28, 2023

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In the latest episode of Hootworthy, we had the incredible opportunity to sit down with The BoykinZ, a sensational country music group that's been taking TikTok by storm. What sets them apart? Well, they're not just any band—they're four talented sisters, three of whom graduated from Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA), with one still making her way through GCA high school. In our chat, we uncovered how attending GCA influenced their extraordinary journey and the unique bond that makes their music so special.

For The BoykinZ, the GCA experience has been more than just academics— a journey that strengthened their sisterly bond. They leaned on each other, collaborated, and made each other feel at ease, ultimately enhancing their chemistry and musical harmony. Being able to spend more time together, thanks to the flexibility provided by GCA, was a game-changer. It allowed them to take their schoolwork with them as they embarked on their musical adventures, striking a harmonious balance between their studies and budding careers.

The BoykinZ have already graced numerous stages across the country, but a few performances hold a special place in their hearts. One standout memory was their trip to New York, where they performed at a school. To their surprise, the students had learned the choreography to their hit single "Girls Night" and performed it for them.

Their Texas trip was another highlight, where they performed during a rodeo's halftime show. Singing and dancing in the dirt under the Texas sky, they embraced the true spirit of country music. Also, singing the national anthem at a Miami Heat game was an unforgettable experience. Lastly, performing with Shania Twain during the Queen of Me Tour was a whirlwind experience. Though it felt quick, they shared the stage with a country music legend and sang two songs to a huge crowd.

While The BoykinZ have ventured far and wide, they hold a special place in their hearts for the moments they enjoyed at GCA. From receiving art kits to hopping on the mic during live classes, these experiences added a unique flavor to their education. Interacting with their peers and teachers was equally cherished, providing them with childhood memories and a profound connection to their school.

When asked which singers they'd love to swap voices with, The BoykinZ had an impressive list. From Stevie Wonder's soulful tones to Anita Baker's smooth melodies, Whitney Houston's powerhouse vocals, Jasmine Sullivan's soul-stirring voice, Rihanna's captivating sound, and Luther Vandross's timeless tunes, their choices reflect their deep appreciation for a wide range of musical styles.

The BoykinZ had some words of wisdom for current GCA students:

Actively participate in live classes
Be present
Stay on camera.

But most importantly, they encouraged everyone to dream big. Their own journey from GCA to the big stage is a testament to what's possible when you set your sights high.

To give us a taste of their musical talent, The BoykinZ sang the chorus of "These Boots are Made for Walking" right in the studio. Their voices blended harmoniously, leaving us wanting more.

If you're eager to discover more about The BoykinZ and their captivating music, head over to their website at theboykinz.com. You can also follow them on various social media platforms @theboykinZ.

Before wrapping up our chat, The BoykinZ wanted to express their gratitude to their parents, their loving family, GCA, their dedicated teachers, and all the GCA alumni who have supported them along their remarkable journey.

Tune in to Hootworthy for the full interview and get ready to be charmed by the harmonious voices and incredible journey of The BoykinZ!

GCA's New Hootworthy Superintendent Mike Kooi Aug 31, 2023

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We kicked off Season 3 of Hootworthy chatting with Mike Kooi, the new superintendent at Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA). The conversation gave us a glimpse into the personal and professional side of Mike. For example, if Mike could choose a superpower, he'd go for flying because he loves travelling. It would make family travels with his wife and 16-month-old son much easier.

Mike's journey to GCA's superintendent is a different path from most superintendents. Starting as a litigation attorney, he gradually shifted to the education sector. From defending school choice programs to becoming the budget director for education under Governor Deal, his experience is diverse. His connection with GCA began as the executive director for the board, and he officially became superintendent in May 2023.

Mike's top three priorities for GCA are clear. First, he's keen on recruiting and retaining excellent teachers, believing impactful learning begins in the classroom. Second, he's determined to support struggling students through innovative strategies and programs. Third, staying on top of technology trends is a must to enhance the learning experience.

His advice to students and parents? Embrace challenges and even failures; they build resilience. For teachers, he encourages pushing students beyond their comfort zones. Also, if he were to teach, history would be Mike's subject of choice. He's captivated by how past events shape the present, and he would want to share this passion with students.

Building a sense of community at GCA is important to Mike. From field trips to community days, he's all about engagement. Optional programs for families looking to connect are also in the works.

Outside work, Mike enjoys walks with his family and their two Australian Shepherds. He's a sports enthusiast, rooting for University of Florida football and the Atlanta Braves. Travel is another love of his, but it has been less frequent since the birth of his son.

We look forward to what is in store for GCA under Mike’s leadership!

GCA's 2023 Hootworthy Valedictorian! May 11, 2023

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Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) has many amazing students including Natalia, who recently appeared on the school's podcast, Hootworthy, to share her achievement of earning the title of GCA's Class of 2023 Valedictorian. Natalia spoke about her journey to becoming valedictorian and what it means to her. She highlighted the long nights, dedication, and hard work that paid off to achieve this goal.

Aside from being an excellent student, Natalia has a passion for
adventure and exploring. She is a certified scuba diver and rates scuba diving
as one of the coolest things one can do. She loves to see the diverse marine
life, and her dream is to dive with hundreds of sharks (could be a nightmare
for others). Natalia has already completed 20 dives, including a 94-foot cave
dive, and understands the importance of being safe and always diving with a
buddy.

In addition to her adventurous side, Natalia is an analytical and
creative individual who loves to cook, bake, and write poetry. She even won
first place for the school’s MLK peace poem last year. Natalia also enjoys
traveling and has already visited several countries including Costa Rica,
France, and Italy.

Natalia advises other students to explore extracurricular
activities and clubs to discover themselves outside of academics. She amassed
60 college credits while in high school through dual enrollment at GCA, and she
will be starting her junior year in college at Georgia Tech in the fall,
majoring in industrial engineering and possibly minoring in computer science.

Natalia's 5 for 5, five things she wants to accomplish in the next
five years, includes skydiving, scuba diving, rappelling down a waterfall,
wingsuit flying, and hot air balloon riding. She is motivated by her passion
for traveling and wants to visit half of the countries in the world.

Natalia is an excellent example of a GCA Champion who represents
her 2023 class well as their Valedictorian. Her success is a result of her
dedication and hard work. Natalia expressed her gratitude to GCA, Hootworthy,
and her amazing dual enrollment counselor, Ms. Rose, and her physical science
teacher, Ms. Newman, for their support. We cannot wait to see what incredible
things Natalia will accomplish in the future. Congratulations, Natalia, stay
hootworthy!

Student Earns Hootworthy Soccer Scholarship to Jackson State University! May 04, 2023

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Our latest Hootworthy episode highlights Elon, a 12th grade Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) Champion who earned a scholarship from Jackson State University (JSU) to play soccer! She expressed how much earning this scholarship meant to her, and how it particularly showed her that hard work truly can pay off.

Elon began her soccer journey at the age of nine playing in recreation leagues, but quickly moved on to the more competitive select and travel club teams. The travel teams were always the most competitive—the most difficult to earn a spot and the level of play. The most recent travel team she played for required a two-hour drive, just for practice, four times per week! Of course, she is incredibly thankful for her mom driving her to and from all those practices. Elon shared that the farthest she ever traveled for a game was all the way to California! She loved traveling to different places because she was able to do more than just play soccer, she was able to explore the areas too.

Elon prefers playing the forward position on the field because she enjoys scoring goals and having a bit more of an impact on the game, but she is always willing to play where needed. Much preparation went into getting Elon to where she is today: an athletic scholarship recipient. On top of practicing and playing on high level club teams, she constantly honed her skills while at home by using the rebounder in the backyard, dribbling around the house, and practicing with her siblings.

Elon described a couple life lessons that soccer has taught her over the years:

No matter how good you are, there will always be someone out there looking for your downfall.
If you want something, you must work for it.
Actions speak louder than words—let your play do the talking instead of running your mouth.

Elon has been a student at GCA since the 2nd grade, so she had much to pull from when asked what she has enjoyed most about being a student here. She emphasized the flexibility that GCA offered, like being able to take a test at Starbucks. She also loved the community events where she was able to socialize, meet new people, and make new friends!

Even though she has loved being a GCA Champion, she looks forward to going to JSU. She is looking forward to the new environment and also exploring a new city including learning the different culture of the place. She is also excited about playing at the collegiate level as well as the challenge and growth that will come from that level of competition. With excitement also comes nervousness, like wondering how she will balance a college workload while playing college soccer.

Elon plans to major in marketing while minoring in psychology. She wanted to give shoutouts to her mom (GCA Community Events Coordinator, Monique Sheffield), GCA faculty and staff, and friends.

We can’t wait to see Elon on the pitch at JSU! What an incredible accomplishment earning a scholarship to play collegiate soccer! Go get some hat tricks, Elon, and stay hootworthy!

Student Creates Hootworthy YouTube Channel, Jumping Jack Productions! Mar 30, 2023

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We loved having our latest hootworthy 5th grade Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) Champion on the show, Jack! He created his own YouTube channel, Jumping Jack Productions, where he makes fun videos featuring toy photography or educational videos teaching science and social studies topics. One of the main goals of his YouTube Channel is to inspire others. He came up with the name of his channel one day playing hula-hoop with his brothers. They imagined themselves jumping through the hula-hoop to another dimension, so the logo and name was born.

Toy photography isn’t the type of hobby one hears often, but it is about as straightforward as it sounds. Jack takes photos of his toys, but not regular photos. He tries to create scenes that are as realistic as possible using special effects, cameras, and photoshop. Some of the special effects include fireworks and fog in a can, or even a plunger to kick up dirt, dust, or ice. His latest project showcased a scene with ice hockey toys.

His YouTube channel also features educational videos with the motto “kids teaching kids” where he covers science topics like physical change and chemical change or social studies content such as the Berlin Wall. Some of these videos are GCA assignments that he turns into video projects. Many of these projects involve collaboration with his dad, who helps him with some of the editing, filming, and special effects, with Jack doing most of the writing and acting.

Some of the lessons Jack has learned through creating and operating his YouTube channel include valuable skills like filming, acting, photography, photo/film editing, and writing, along with how to teach and encourage others.

One of the things he enjoys about being a student at GCA is how he finds time throughout the school day to accomplish most of his work, so he has more time after school to work on his hobbies. He loves schedule and flexibility at GCA which allows him to spend more time pursuing his hobby of creating educational and fun video content.

He is open to the possibility of a career in media, but is enjoying his time with the YouTube channel as long as he can and the opportunities that come from it. He wants to shout out GCA, his teachers, friends, mom and dad, and his entire family. Be sure to check out Jack’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jumpingjackproductions and the excellent content! Stay hootworthy, Jack!

Student Starts Hootworthy Wristlet Business! Mar 02, 2023

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We love interviewing our incredible students at Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) and showcasing them on our podcast: Hootworthy. Karen, a 10th grader at GCA, sat down and discussed her hobby that turned into a surprisingly successful business. In 2020, Karen created her own business, 2UNIQ Collection, where she makes and sells products such as key chains, wristlets, pens, and lanyards. She started with key chains and most recently added lanyards. Her best-selling product is the wristlet.

Not many students start a business, so we discussed Karen’s
“Why?”. Karen shared that she noticed how her mom always seemed to be losing
her keys. She began making key chains, and then the wristlet idea came next.
Her business solved a real problem—offered a solution to losing your keys—what
many successful businesses do. Karen has always been somewhat a creative
person, but she decided to take it to another level with the business.

She acquired her startup funding from her parents, which took six
months of convincing after making a business plan, but she has paid the loan
back and then some! She has been very surprised at how popular and successful
her business has become. She didn’t expect so many people to buy her products.
She has learned many different things from running her business, but a key
takeaway has been money management. For example, she must balance spending
money on materials to then make products for sale.

Despite the success of her business, Karen would like to
ultimately become a real estate broker after high school. She loves the
experience and lessons she is learning from managing her own business, and how
it will apply to her future career in real estate. She enjoys the flexibility
GCA offers for her to do school and work on her business on the side during breaks
or after school work. She has found her teachers always willing to help and her
classmates to be very nice.

We encourage everyone to check out Karen’s products! They can find
them at the website https://uniqcollectionllc.myshopify.com/. Karen ended with shouting out her mom, dad, supporters, Mrs.
McCarthy for recommending her to be on the show, and the Hootworthy team. Stay
Hootworthy, Karen!

Hootworthy Teacher of the Year 2023 Jan 26, 2023

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Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) is fortunate to have plenty of talented faculty; Mrs. Amy Blanchard is no exception. Third grade ELA teacher Mrs. Blanchard, who has been with GCA for four years, won the esteemed award of GCA District Teacher of the Year! Throughout her 21 years of teaching experience, this is her first Teacher of the Year title. Winning this award means so much to her; she still feels like it’s surreal. Mrs. Blanchard also noted that it was particularly meaningful because she was voted in by her peers—the very people who understand the ins and outs of teaching.

Mrs. Blanchard shared that despite being from a family of educators, she didn’t always want to be a teacher. In fact, because she saw her parents come home each day fulfilled, but exhausted, she didn’t want that for herself. But, after working multiple summers at a camp for children and volunteering with her mom at school often, she couldn’t deny the passion she had developed for teaching. She emphasized the feeling that overcame her when she helped kids understand something, as a primary motivator for deciding to pursue an education degree in college.

There are a couple things Mrs. Blanchard wishes others knew about the teaching profession. First, a change in public perception over the teaching schedule, hours, and vacations of teachers. For example, even though teachers have summer or winter breaks “off,” much of that time is made up throughout the school year, as teachers are working overtime outside of school hours. Another aspect is how emotionally involved teaching can be. Many teachers are not only teaching students academically, but also are emotionally invested in their students and their overall growth—they care!

If Mrs. Blanchard could give one piece of advice to students, she would give two. First, to let them know to believe in themselves. Students need to have confidence in their abilities and believe that they can improve. The other is to stop comparing themselves to others. People have different strengths and weaknesses, so students should stop fixating on the work of their peers and start focusing on their own work.

There are many things that Mrs. Blanchard loves about teaching at GCA, but her favorite is that she doesn’t have to wear shoes! She also likes how involved she can be in her daughters’ lives thanks to the ability to work from home. She has also found that teaching at GCA allows her to focus more on the academic aspects of teaching rather than all the other things that can come up with teaching.

Of course, like with any career, there are rewards and challenges. She highlighted one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching has been how students are excited to see her every day. Even though she was their elementary school teacher, she also highlights how some students will reach out after they graduate and remember her as their favorite teacher. She mentioned how fun it is to see these students grown up after all the years. One of the challenges she noted, particularly teaching online, was connecting with students. She emphasized how important it is to be creative to create relationships with her students.

Mrs. Blanchard was incredibly thankful for all the support she has received over the years, and wanted to shout out her family, students, administrators, and colleagues. She highlighted the importance of her husband and how he has listened over the years, her daughters and how they put up with her, how she believes being a mother has made her a better teacher, the support of the teachers she works with, and how helpful her administrators have been. She stressed how fortunate she feels to work for GCA, and we are happy to share that the feeling is mutual! Stay hootworthy, Mrs. Blanchard!

Student Is Hootworthy Bull Rider Dec 01, 2022

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Many of our Champions have hootworthy hobbies, and our most recent interview is no exception! Easton has attended Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) for two years, and when he is not at school, he is busy riding bulls. Easton shared he has been a bull rider for over a year, but he has always wanted to be one ever since he was a kid. This is more than just a hobby for him because he hopes to be in the Professional Bull Riders Organization (PBR) one day.

Even though bull riding is referred to by some as the most dangerous sport on dirt, that has not stopped him from pursuing his dreams. Easton has competed in around 30 events, all the while getting bucked, slammed, or stepped on by bulls! Fortunately, he wears a chest protector and helmet to soften the blows, but not by much, as one can imagine what it is like getting hit by a bull no matter the protective gear.

At the events, riders are trying to ride for eight seconds because if they ride any less, they fail to score any points. There is no reason to ride over eight seconds, so if riders are skilled enough to last 8 seconds, they must dismount as cleanly as possible to earn a higher score. The rider is scored on the ride and the dismount plus the score of the bull. Easton said he has not made it eight seconds more than six times, but that is his goal every time he hops on a bull. Surprisingly, riders only get one chance to ride, so they must make it count!

There is plenty of training involved with bull riding, as Easton described. He trains on the bull once a week in addition to getting on a drop barrel and standing on a basketball for 20 minutes per day. He also goes through body movement repetitions that train his body to counter the bull’s movement—bow chest out, avoid keeping a “C” in his back, and prevent his arm from going behind his body.

Easton is very grateful to GCA for how friendly everyone is, especially his teachers and peers. He loves how he can bring school with him to some of his rodeos because even when he is traveling, he can participate in his classes. He wanted to thank his parents and GCA for the support. We cannot wait to see you in the PBR, Easton! Your GCA FAM is rooting for you.

Keep soaring, but not off that bull before eight seconds!!

Student Wins Hootworthy Investment Competition Oct 27, 2022

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We get to interview many Hootworthy Champions at Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA), and our latest student is no exception! Xavier, an 11th grader at GCA who has attended since the 6th grade, won first place at the Wells Fargo Junior Investment
National Competition awarding him 1,500 dollars! Xavier highlighted that
winning the competition taught him that if he puts in the work and limits
distractions, he can accomplish anything.

The competition was in partnership with a national organization he
is involved in, the 100 Black Men of America. Xavier shared that the
organization teaches many things to youth like life skills, etiquette, and how
to succeed in the real world.

He explained the details of the contest that led to his victory.
Contestants started with 100,000 virtual dollars and had seven weeks to make as
much virtual money as possible in the stock market. He had to use investing
principles of buying low and selling high to maximize his investments. He took
a less risky, more moderate approach that ultimately led to his success and
ended the contest with 110,000 dollars, making 10,000 virtual dollars in just
seven weeks!

The contest culminated in an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood,
Florida this past June where he stayed in a five-star hotel, ate fantastic
food, and connected with new people. It was Xavier’s first time flying, but he
mentioned he wasn’t scared at all. Mentors and mentees attended the trip, as
well as parents. What Xavier loved most about the competition was getting to
travel. He loves going places and meeting new people. He wanted to shout out
his family (especially his mom), all the people who have supported him, GCA,
and the 100 Black Men of America organization.

Keep soaring, Xavier!

Student Crochets Hootworthy Figurines Sep 29, 2022

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Hootworthy had the pleasure of speaking with 10th grade GCA Champion Zeke, who crochets fictional character figurines as a hobby. He got into this unique hobby because of his mom, who created her own crocheting business and taught Zeke how to crochet when he was 7 years old. His crocheting enjoyment, interest, and skill hasn’t stopped growing since. During the show, he surprised us with a crocheted Champ figurine made for the podcast.

Zeke highlighted the crocheting materials and process of creating a figurine. The main materials are his crochet hook, yarn, and polyester fill. His process begins by making the pieces one at a time starting with the legs. As he works his way up he is always thinking about the “magic circle”—the guide for creating the figurine where the yarn builds and builds upon itself. After he creates one piece of the figurine, he must cut it, lay it aside, and then begin the next piece. Once he has all the pieces completed, he can sew them together to create the completed figurine. Zeke referred to this approach as “sculptural”. Before using this method, he would usually do a single crocheted piece that builds upon itself, like his first attempt at Toon Link, but the proportions would never turn out as good. He emphasized the importance of getting the figurine’s head right because, as he mentioned, the head “makes or breaks the figurine”.

Zeke loves making these figurines as gifts for his family and friends, which is one of the main reasons he does it. He also loves getting to bring some of his favorite fictional characters to life through crocheting these figurines. He mentioned that his favorite figurine was a Mother’s Day gift for his mom, Darkwing Duck. He explored a different method for the face—rather than making one big oval he crocheted four different pieces that were sewn together to make the face. He also had to do a little cloth sewing for the cape.

Zeke shared two things that make crocheting these figurines challenging. First is getting the head just right, by making sure all the proportions are spot on, like the hair, eyes, mouth, and nose—if one is off, the head is ruined! The second is making sure all the pieces fit or work together. Before he sews the figurine together, he places the pieces together to make sure everything looks proportional, but if a piece looks off or wrong, he must redo the piece, like if the legs are too long for example.

When asked about student life at GCA, he expressed how much he appreciates all the available resources and how great and helpful the teachers are. He thinks that it would be very difficult for him not to succeed given the number of materials and support available. He wanted to shout out his mom for teaching him how to crochet and getting him into crocheting in the first place and his siblings for encouraging him in his hobby. Keep soaring, Zeke, and we cannot wait to see what you crochet next!

Student Is Hootworthy Kart Racer! Sep 06, 2022

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We had such a great time sitting down with our 5th grade GCA champion, Kai, to talk about his incredibly hootworthy hobby: Kart racing! Kai competes around the country in the Swift race class that includes go-karts which can reach up to 70 mph! He has participated in over 25 races so far with several top 5 finishes, but winning first-place continues to elude him. Kai got into racing after watching a tv show featuring a Formula One driver going 200 miles an hour. While watching the show, he thought to himself, “That sounds cool. I want to do that!”

Kai prepares for races and trains to be a better driver in various
ways including using a racing simulator at home that includes a driving chair,
steering wheel, and pedals that mimic a go-kart racing experience. He has
a local track that he can practice driving on regularly and also has a coach
that provides feedback on how he can improve and where he is excelling. A lot
of this information also comes from data sent from a computer and camera that
captures his driving. For example, Kai and his coach can analyze his lap times
and turns to see where he is slowing down, how much faster he could have gone,
and what he needs to focus on to get faster.

Kai mentioned that the most difficult thing about racing is consistency.
Drivers must stay as fast as possible the entire race. These go-karts do not
have auto steer, so they are more difficult to turn, drivers can experience
forces up to 4 Gs, and small mess ups can cost them the race. He emphasized the
importance of consistency in the fact that 2 tenths of a second can separate 15
positions. He finds racing rewarding in winning and having fun, but it’s even
better when he beats an opponent who has a reputation for winning because then
the win means even more to him.

He has appreciated being a GCA student because it has allowed him
to pursue his Kart racing hobby, while simultaneously completing his education.
He hasn’t felt like he has missed out on racing or schooling thanks to GCA and
his teachers.

If you want to keep up with Kai, you can find him on his Instagram
Racer_Kai, or at his local track Atlanta MotorSports Park. He loves it there
because it feels like a real community, family. He hopes to go 200 plus mph as
a professional racecar driver one day but knows he must work to get there! He
appreciates his mom, dad, coach, and teammates for all their support and GCA
and his teachers for being flexible with him. Keep it up Racer Kai! Your GCA
Fam is rooting for you!

GCA's 2022 Hootworthy Valedictorian May 18, 2022

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We were so happy to have our hootworthy Valedictorian, Matthew, come on the show to discuss his time at Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA), his accomplishments, and life outside of school. Matthew has attended GCA since Kindergarten, and he topped off his education with the highest honor. He shared that becoming Valedictorian validated the idea that hard work pays off. From the time he was 15 years old, he has worked 40-hour weeks at Chick-fil-A and played competitive tennis, all the while excelling in his academics.

One of his favorite memories at GCA was the time he was able to spend with his family in the mornings. He appreciated the convenience of GCA and the ability to do school from home. Two role models came to mind when Matthew thought about the people he looked up to. First, he shared about one of his bosses at Chick-fil-A who had taught him many leadership skills, life lessons, and time management. The other role model he could not leave out was his favorite tennis player, Rafael Nadal. He admires Nadal’s fighting spirit and success on the court.

Matthew highlighted that a challenge he has overcome would be affording college and being able to graduate college without significant debt. Thanks to working hard, saving, and earning scholarships, he believes he has positioned himself to be more financially stable after college. One of his favorite hobbies is tennis, which he has been playing since he was six years old. He enjoys how it challenges him because he has no teammates to count on, and how it blends mental, physical, and tactical components to the game. Matthew also emphasized how he formed many friendships and met tons of great people through the sport.

Out of all the opportunities that GCA afforded Matthew—the convenience—was his favorite part. Specifically, he noted that he did not believe he would have been able to work as a supervisor at Chick-fil-A for 40-hours per week, training and competing as a division 1 tennis player, while completing school anywhere else. The advice he would give new students to GCA would be to give it a chance and to stick with it. He mentioned that a lot of good things can come if you do it effectively—certainly shows from his experience! Along the same lines, he advised current students to maximize their school time while at home, so they can be as efficient as possible.

After GCA, Matthew plans to pursue a degree in Business Management with a minor in Music at Georgia Southern University (Southern). He will be playing tennis at Southern as a walk-on, with hopes of achieving a scholarship. After college, he would like to own and operate a Chick-fil-A.

We are so incredibly proud of Matthew’s hootworthy drive and Valedictorian achievement! We cannot wait to see what is next for him—stay hootworthy, Matthew!

Student Inducted Into Hootworthy Senate Youth Program Apr 26, 2022

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We had the pleasure of speaking with Darrese, one of our 12th grade Champions who has attended Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) for the past 5 years. She achieved quite the hootworthy honor and award, as being selected as one of two delegates in the state of Georgia to participate in the United States Senate Youth Program. She was hesitant to apply after not being selected for the Governor's Honors Program the year before, but following a timely phone call from her Dual Enrollment Counselor, Ms. Debrody, who encouraged her to apply, Darrese decided to go for it! She could not believe she was picked, but she credits her involvement in many clubs at GCA including being Student Council President and her passion for social activism during the interview process, as landing her a spot in the program.

The Senate Youth Program Washington Week event typically takes place in Washington, D.C., but last year and this year, the event was virtual over Zoom. Even though it was not in-person, Darrese enjoyed the online sessions where she heard from many different past and present government officials including their experiences and what they would do differently. She mentioned that every group was assigned a military mentor who she connected with and appreciated the entire time. After the talks, the participating delegates would reflect on the sessions together and share their different perspectives.

The most important thing that she took away from the experience was the power of unity. She noticed that even though the delegates came from different backgrounds, they were all together; they focused more on how they could help each other and what brought them together. She realized that their differences disappeared. She shared that the most rewarding thing from the experience—other than the 10,000 dollar scholarship and being selected as one of two people in Georgia—was getting to know the delegates. She knows that these people could be the future politicians of America, and who knows how these connections could impact her future.

As a busy person, what she enjoys most about being a student at GCA is the convenience. She loves how she can take her laptop anywhere and attend class anywhere. If she could give advice to new students, she would tell them to find their balance between school and life outside school. She would also tell them to join clubs at GCA; this is where students can meet people, form relationships, serve their community, and gain extracurricular experience. Darrese mentioned she would like to pursue a Musical Theater Major, but she has yet to decide on which college to attend because she has four acceptances! We are super proud of Darrese and her hootworthy achievement participating in the US Senate Youth Program. You can find more information about the program here. Keep soaring, Darrese!

Teacher Earns Hootworthy Title Apr 04, 2022

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We are excited to share our latest Hootworthy episode, an interview with Georgia Cyber Academy’s (GCA) District Teacher of the Year: Mrs. Erica Sims. Mrs. Sims is a Middle School Special Education teacher and will be representing GCA at a state recognition banquet with other District Teachers of the Year in April, where the Georgia Teacher of the Year will be named. She has taught for 10 years, four of those at GCA. This award means so much to Ms. Sims and she is somewhat speechless because she is so honored to receive this recognition knowing the quality of faculty she interacts with that she feels are so deserving of recognition themselves.

Her journey to become a teacher is one of teaching finding her. When she was a child, her best friend’s little brother was autistic. She was automatically drawn to him, and they loved spending time together. She was so great with him that his grandmother commented that Erica should become a special education teacher as a career. As time went on throughout high school and even into college, she continued to gravitate toward students with disabilities. Eventually she decided that being a special education teacher was what she was meant to do after all. As a teacher in the LIFE department, she and her co-teacher teach all academic areas and skills for independent living like counting money, telling time, and how to read a menu.

Over the course of her teaching career, she has had many good memories. One of her favorite times was a few years ago when she taught middle grades at her local brick and mortar school. She had a few students in her class who loved Ghostbusters and always asked if they could dance to one of the songs. She had the idea to participate in the school’s talent show, but if they were going to do this, they were going to go all out. They practiced every day, found matching Ghostbuster style jumpsuits, and poured their hearts into it. Their efforts paid off when they ended up winning the talent show. She recalls how everyone felt in that moment—like they just won the World Series.

Teaching comes with its challenges, but it is also filled with wins. She loves it when she sees disengaged students turn into engaged students. She uses shock factors to engage her students-- singing student names or doing backflips on the trampoline—a favorite thing about teaching at GCA. She finds it so satisfying when she will see previous students out in the world being successful. She shared that a GCA student of hers started a dog sitting business, and it is so rewarding for her to see this student out following through with an idea, making money for himself, getting jobs, succeeding, and gaining independence.

If Mrs. Sims could give one piece of advice to students, she would tell them to keep their lives in perspective. Even though it may seem like if something does or does not happen it may seem like the end of the world or that life will always seem so stressful, but take a breath. Pause and remember that there is so much more life left to be lived, and that this is just a small part, a glimpse of it. Keep a perspective knowing that in the grand scheme of things, one may look back and say that it wasn’t as big of a deal as you thought it was at the time.

When Mrs. Sims isn’t teaching, you can find her spending time with her family, enjoying nature, doing cycling classes, or teaching cycling classes as a certified instructor. She couldn’t praise her co-teacher Ms. Knight enough, or her lead Ms. Spear, who she is so grateful for in the way that she leads as a servant, is constantly willing to help, and shares the workload with her team. We are proud of Mrs. Sims and her accomplishment as district teacher of the year, and we are grateful to have such amazing faculty work at GCA.

Student Publishes Hootworthy Book Feb 28, 2022

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We love sitting down and talking with Hootworthy champions. Nia, a seventh grader at Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA), published her first book, One Amongst The Runaways, this past January through Amazon direct publishing. Her book is historical fiction set during World War II (WWII), a thriller that includes many plot twists, written in first person omniscience, and took her about a year and a half to complete. The story consists of five characters, though the main character is a girl who is taken from her family and sent to Auschwitz. Each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective, each running away from something both literally and figuratively. Want to find out how the story turns out? You’ll have to read it!

Nia has always enjoyed writing as a hobby and telling stories, so she decided to give writing a novel a shot. Not many seventh graders decide to write a book, but Nia was inspired after reading The Devil’s Arithmetic, and she thought she had plenty of stories swirling in her head that she wanted to share with the world. She knew about the WWII death camps but appreciated how The Devil’s Arithmetic helped her feel about the camps while reading the story which created an emotional impact. She thinks that not many people can really feel what was happening in those camps, and she aimed to create an emotional response in her readers while they read her story.

While writing her book, the most difficult thing she experienced was the dreaded writer’s block. She mentioned that she continued to focus on one thing so much that it killed her creativity. She kept the book on chapter five for months because she found it very difficult to be motivated to write; however, she discovered that music helped her through the writer’s block; it gave her the motivation needed to keep storytelling. Due to the sad nature of the story, it was listening to sad music melodies that kept her writing.

She first found time to write the book during quarantine because she started the book in the fifth grade when Covid hit. Before coming to GCA, she would finish school early and work on the book. Even when she joined GCA, she found she still had time to write because of how helpful the teachers were during class; she discovered she didn’t need much time outside of class to work on school. She also likes how at GCA she had more time to work on the book because she spent less time getting ready for school or driving to school.

Nia thinks she will continue writing, and perhaps be an author on the side, but she really wants to become a neurosurgeon. She is currently working on her next book, which she plans to be the second in the series. She is thankful to her family for their support. We are very proud of Nia and this Hootworthy accomplishment! We encourage everyone to find and to read Nia’s book on Amazon, One Amongst the Runaways!

Student Raises Hootworthy Rabbits Feb 03, 2022

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We have many Champions here at Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) with interesting hobbies, but we may have come across one more unique than most. One of our 12th graders, Wyatt, raises, breeds, and shows Netherland Dwarf rabbits, and he has been doing this for the past six to seven years. Over the years, he has had much success with this hobby, including winning many titles like Best of Breed and Best in Show at different events throughout the country.

Wyatt began raising rabbits after his siblings left the house because he was looking for something to do with his mom. He and she discovered raising, breeding, and showing rabbits and after a year of working with his mom raising Holland Lop rabbits, he decided to branch off and to raise Netherland Dwarf rabbits on his own. Even though they are now each working with different breeds, they still work together and bond over raising and showing their rabbits. Wyatt explained that the Netherland Dwarf rabbit is the second smallest breed weighing in at around 2-2.5 pounds, having a short, stumpy, and stocky frame with short ears. Wyatt raises and breeds the rabbits with the Standard of Perfection in mind—the book that details the perfect rabbit, categorizing and scoring rabbits up to 100 points. He loves watching the rabbits develop and presenting them at events across the country.

Wyatt has traveled to 16 states competing at different shows including three large conventions: one in Reno, Nevada, one in Louisville, Kentucky, and one in Springfield, Massachusetts. These shows have judges who score the rabbits based on the Standard of Perfection. Wyatt shared that the Netherland Dwarf is posed sitting up, with the perfect body being described as a baseball sitting on top of a cantaloupe. At many of these events, his rabbits have earned Best of Breed and even Best in Show. He might need to dedicate a room for housing his ribbons thanks to the number of ribbons he has gained over time. Currently he is thinning down his herd, and shared that he currently has 20-40 rabbits, but that number is constantly in flux based on his goals.

What he enjoys most about raising rabbits are not the rabbits, but the people. He mentioned he has met many great people over his time raising rabbits, making many friends, gaining mentors, and developing a close community with tight bonds that feels like family. He has traveled and shared many of his greatest life events and achievements with these people, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything. He noted that one of his greatest achievements was when he won Best in Show with one of his home-grown rabbits—a challenge he set for himself in the beginning.

He loves and appreciates that GCA has been so flexible in working with him to pursue this hobby. Many times, when he has had to travel and compete in an event, GCA allowed him to participate and to work with him to complete assignments and tests. He has never felt like he has missed out on his education thanks to GCA and its flexibility. There are many directions Wyatt could go with this hobby including being a judge or becoming more involved in the American Rabbit Breeders Association, but he knows that one thing is for sure—whether he has 100 rabbits or 1 rabbit, he plans to remain involved in some capacity. We are so proud of Wyatt and his hootworthy rabbits, and we love that he shared this unique hobby with us! We know he has plenty of Best in Shows left to win!

Alumnus Releases Hootworthy Music Album Jan 06, 2022

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We love sharing alumni stories and this one is no exception. Casen, who graduated from Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) in 2015, has been up to quite a few things since leaving GCA. After attending a ministerial college for two years, he is now working part time in the ministry while he pursues a music career. His hootworthy accomplishment of producing and releasing his own music album titled “Lemonade” stemmed from his passion for writing, singing, and playing music.

Casen’s inspiration to create this album came from one of his favorite movies 500 days of Summer, where the theme was a story of boy meets girl, but it wasn’t a love story. He wanted to create an album that was a love story, but which wasn’t about love. Even though Casen wrote, sang, played, produced, and released the album on his own, he wouldn’t describe it that way. He believes that most art is already present, and it must be discovered from within by the artist rather than created out of nothing. He credits his music influences, education, upbringing, gifts and talents, and the culture around him to the creation of this album.

The album includes 10 songs, but he would really say it’s more like nine and a half. He took a Charlie Puth music producing course to learn how to do it, meanwhile playing all the instruments, writing the lyrics, singing the songs, and arranging the music. The process from start to finish took about two years, as he describes himself as somewhat of a perfectionist. He wanted to make sure everything was just right before releasing it. He says the music genre is indie-folk and singer-songwriter with a sound close to John Mayer, if he had to pick an artist.

Casen has been playing and writing music since he was around 14 years old, but the hobby came around unexpectedly. His brother had a guitar, and when Casen decided to quit baseball, he found he needed to fill this new free time with something--why not learn guitar, he thought. Because of his online learning experience with GCA and the self-directed learning skills he was acquiring through it, he believed he could learn the guitar online just like he was being educated virtually. He put in the work, and he now has his own music album to show for it!

Casen sometimes performs live at a local coffee shop in Dawsonville with hopes to play more venues in the future. He mentions he is always working on future content, with an acoustic album underway inspired by the influence of his grandpa. People can listen to Casen’s album “Lemonade” on all streaming services by searching “Casen Watson,” and they can stay up to date with him by following him on Instagam @casenpwatson. He wanted to be sure to shout out his GCA community, mom, and his former teacher Ms. Blanda, who now serves as our Middle Principal. We are so proud of Casen and his hootworthy music album, and we encourage everyone to go listen!

Student Creates Hootworthy Book Website for her Stories Nov 30, 2021

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We have a lot of talented Champions here at Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) who engage in many different hobbies. Carmen, a 9th grader who has been attending GCA since 2012, has always been passionate about reading and writing. In fact, she began her hobby of writing stories in the 3rd grade. A GCA assignment led her to create a Hootworthy book website.

Carmen credits the creation of her website, BookCrown, to a project assigned in her computer science class where students were tasked to create a website on anything they wanted. Carmen had a handful of stories she had written already, but never collected and organized them in a place where others could easily access them. She now has a total of 8 stories on her website and continues to increase her book collection. Carmen used the website Canva to add pictures to her books to enhance her stories with illustrations.

Carmen’s stories are typically science-fiction and usually include a love story theme. She emphasized her preference for romance stories as her favorite to both read and write. Carmen writes the stories on her own, but she does get help from her mom for brainstorming and also receives feedback from other family members. She mentioned the main audience for her stories are teenagers but any science-fiction fans can read them.

She plans to continue writing and updating her website with new stories—noting she may even pursue writing as a career. Carmen praised her teachers and GCA for giving her the resources to further her love of reading and writing. She also thanks her computer science teacher for the website project that turned into BookCrown, the place where she can house her stories for others to read and enjoy. We are so proud of Carmen, her website, and her writing pursuits! We encourage you to check out Carmen’s website BookCrown.

Teacher Implements Hootworthy Instructional Strategy Oct 28, 2021

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Saying we’re proud to have such talented, hardworking, and creative faculty and staff at Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) might be an understatement after we introduce this Hootworthy staff member! Ms. Shuman, former GCA ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) teacher currently serving as the ESOL District Supervisor has taught at GCA for ten years, five of those as an ESOL teacher. She enjoyed serving GCA’s multilingual population in the classroom, and is now leading, inspiring, and encouraging the teachers who support our multilingual students.

Last school year, Ms. Shuman was tasked with educating multilingual learners in kindergarten, her first time at that grade level as a matter of fact. Coincidentally enough, she had her own kindergartner learning online at the same time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She noticed how difficult it was for her son to stay engaged with online learning, so she began thinking how she could make her own classroom more engaging. How could she reach and keep her virtual learners engaged? Answering this question is where her hootworthy teaching strategy arose.

She remembered her hometown puppet show as a child, how interested she was in the puppetry arts, and how excited the drama made her. She thought of her son’s fascination with YouTube, fantasy, pretend, and stories. Her idea then came to life. Ms. Shuman decided her class needed one more student who lived in monster city, her puppet, Sparkle.

Ms. Shuman introduced Sparkle to her class as a multilingual learner, like them. She also let the students know Sparkle was very shy because she wasn’t very confident in her English, so Sparkle would talk to her, and Ms. Shuman would translate. The students immediately took to Sparkle. She truly shined as the star of the class. Sparkle would participate in many of the activities the students did; however, as Sparkle would sometimes get stuck on an activity, the students would help Sparkle complete it. She sometimes brought an item to class to discuss or hyped the students up to get ready for class.
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Alumna Snags Hootworthy Pageant Win Sep 30, 2021

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Did you know that GCA Champions don’t just rise up and aim high… they soar!? They keep on soaring after graduation too, like GCA alumni, Damacia Howard! Damacia graduated in May 2021 after having attended GCA since the 6th grade! She is headed to Georgia State University this fall with plans to study film, art history, or really anything art related. Her recent hootworthy accomplishment is being crowned Miss Georgia Teen 2021 at the National American Miss Pageant this July. While she is currently enjoying the pleasure of her Miss Georgia Teen title, she looks forward to crowning the next Miss Georgia Teen in 2022.

The National American Miss Pageant consisted of three categories: interview, introduction, and gown. Six judges scored each category and tallied up the numbers to calculate the winner. During the interview portion, she had to answer one question from each of the judges. Her most memorable question was about how she spent her summer serving as a camp counselor. The introduction piece was a brief 30-second speech to the crowd which displayed her poise and confidence. The final category had the young ladies sport a formal gown.

This was not the first pageant Damacia has competed in. She entered her first pageant in 2015, and she has participated in multiple pageants since including National American Miss and Miss Teen USA. One could say she is quite the pageant veteran. She has found pageants to be a fun hobby and her schooling with GCA gave her the opportunity to compete in pageants, all while staying on top of her education. Damacia loves to travel, so she initially started competing in pageants because state winners traveled to national pageant competitions, and around the country for national winners. She was also looking for ways to pay for college, so scholarship prizes were a draw as well!

In 2016, she won the preteen title for National American Miss and was able to take a trip to California to compete in the national competition. She did not win, but she did place in the top 10 in the country! This time around, the national competition is in Orlando, Florida. She heads there in November with hopes to place in the top 10 or better. The winner of nationals receives many prizes, which are about 2 pages long, including scholarships and sponsorship gifts, as well as traveling the country to state pageants as the National American Miss winner.

On top of Damacia’s pageant efforts, she also started her own non-profit during the pandemic last year called LegendaryGyrl. Her company aims to honor young women who are serving in their communities. She sends them gift boxes and inducts them as Legendary Gyrls celebrating their service. For the initial year, most of the Legendary Gyrls were young ladies that Damacia knew throughout her community who were volunteering; however, as the organization grows, the goal is to have a committee take nominations and select one Legendary Gyrl each month, and award one scholarship per year. You can find more information about her nonprofit at legendarygyrl.org.

We are so proud of Damacia’s pageant win, and we know her #GCAFAM is rooting her on at nationals in November! Keep soaring, Damacia!

Teacher Earns Hootworthy Honor Aug 31, 2021

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We know that Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) has some of the best teachers in the state of Georgia and we recently found out that it isn’t just the state of Georgia, but also the whole United States! Ms. Lisa Clark has been teaching math for 8 years, and, surprisingly enough, always 9th grade. She has taught at GCA for only one semester so far, but has already helped show that GCA has some of the best teachers by receiving an incredible honor from one of her former students.

Ms. Clark formed a bond with one of her previous students, Aaron, from her former school, through the years of teaching and supporting him. She noted that Aaron was a student who had a passion to learn; he pushed her to teach and challenge him throughout the class. She encouraged and assisted Aaron during the Governor’s Honors program process. As he continued his high school career, Aaron earned the STAR student award, while choosing her as STAR teacher.

Then, Aaron notified Ms. Clark of an invitation only award he received based on high SAT and ACT scores, the US Presidential Scholars Program. She shared that the application process was incredibly detailed, but she was happy to support him once again! After the 6000-candidate pool, he then made it as one of the 600 semifinalists. From the 600 semifinalists, he was selected as one of the 161 finalists, representing one of two slots from Georgia. Aaron earned the title of a 2021 US Presidential Scholar.

Aaron nominated Ms. Clark for the prestigious honor of a 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program’s Distinguished Teacher. Ms. Clark’s recognition also brought Georgia Cyber Academy some attention because her honored title is associated with her current school. She mentioned she was happy to earn the title with GCA next to her name because it is a testament to the caliber of teachers she has witnessed working here and the support she has received from training, colleagues, leadership, and more.

A favorite memory at GCA so far has been, ironically enough, a student of hers also named Aaron! He reminded her so much of her other Aaron in the way he asked great questions, stayed engaged, and pushed her beyond what she was teaching. He went from not passing the previous semester to earning an A the next. He even accepted her recommendation to try honors math! When asked why the dramatic change, Aaron mentioned that he realized he still needs to do things that he is not interested in, to get to the things he does want to do—what an insight at such a young age!

She could not praise the support she has had enough during her GCA journey thus far, showering her team, lead, and mentor with appreciation throughout the interview. She has felt so validated by her leadership and coworkers and strives to validate her students. You can find her teaching Honors/Gifted Algebra 1 as a US Presidential Scholars Program’s Distinguished Teacher.

Please find the entire list of US Presidential Scholars Program’s Distinguished Teachers here.

You can also find more information regarding the US Presidential Scholars Program here.

>>>>>>>

Do you have a GCA Hootworthy story? We would love to hear about it! Reach out to us here: https://www.georgiacyber.org/hootworthy

Check out the full interview on our Youtube: https://youtu.be/LbV9P526kCI

Enjoy Podcasts? Listen to the full interview and subscribe to keep up to date with more GCA Hootworthy stories here: https://gcahootworthy.buzzsprout.com

Student Starts Hootworthy STEM Business Jul 27, 2021

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Alaina is a rising 6th grader at Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA). This was her first year with GCA, and attending here has already made quite an impact on her! She is now an entrepreneur thanks to some inspiration she received while completing a science project that was assigned by her teacher Mr. Anderson. With the help of her mom, she launched her ideas into her own business: STEM Powered Kits.
Alaina says she wants to encourage thinking, learning, and tinkering. She came up with the name "STEM Powered Kits" because the acronym STEM is recognizable worldwide, and the kits challenge the maker to use science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to build the product. The GCA science assignment that inspired her business venture was creating an electric circuit. Alaina wanted to do a video instead of a slideshow or a diagram, so she recorded a video of herself demonstrating how to put one together. After mom watched the video, she was so impressed by Alaina's voice and teaching ability that she thought this could be a great way for Alaina to use her talent; thus, the idea for STEM Powered Kits was born.
Alaina’s business is a product (STEM item) and a service (video tutorial) that ranges from elementary to high school ages. She sells boxes that include all the pieces one would need to build the item, instructions, and a link to a video tutorial on Alaina’s YouTube page demonstrating how to put the item together. She shared that her best seller is the solar powered race car, but she also has a wind powered car, lemon battery, and balloon car to name a few. They are always looking to add more products, and at the time of the interview, they had 14 items.
The business has been open for roughly 2 months and has already gained interest from others. To name a few, she has interviewed with The Creative Coast and WTOC, and partnered with Decatur Makers—a virtual stem program for girls, supplying their program and teaching some classes. She is grateful for GCA and how this all came about from an assignment, and she hopes to inspire the next set of innovators with her business.
She mentioned she enjoys going to GCA, and one of her favorite parts is not having to get up early to catch the bus. Please see the information below on how to connect with Alaina on social media and visit her business to pick up one of your Stem Powered Kits today!
Social media: @StemPoweredKits
Website: www.stempoweredkits.com
Discount code for GCA: GCAFAM15
Do you have a 🦉 Hootworthy story? We would love to hear about it! Reach out to us here: https://www.georgiacyber.org/hootworthy
Check out the full interview on our Youtube ▶ channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIRo1BvMTMU5kJU-drKJMWec8rtmCagEF
Enjoy Podcasts? 🎧 Listen to the full interview and subscribe to keep up to date with more GCA Hootworthy stories here: https://gcahootworthy.buzzsprout.com
Go GCA Champions!
Website: GeorgiaCyber.org
Facebook: @GCAchampions
Instagram: @GCAchampions
Twitter: @GCAchampions
#WeBringSchoolToYou
#RiseAimSoar
#GCAchampions

Student Has Hootworthy Acting Career Jun 21, 2021

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We recently interviewed Peyton J., a rising 8th grader who has attended Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) for 5 years. He came on our GCA Hootworthy Podcast to discuss his acting career which started when he was only 5 years old! Peyton began with theatre and did a few commercials, but once he experienced film and television, he put his time and efforts there and has found success. He has mainly performed dramatic roles and you can find him in the following films:

Nobody’s Fool (2018) as Junior
First Christmas (2020) as Drew,
Respect (2021) as Young Cecil Franklin

The above list is just a sample of the roles he has performed. So far, he says his biggest role is the current project he is working on in New Orleans and the details of it must remain confidential at this time, he can share that its release date is most likely next year and will air on Epix.

Peyton expects to be filming in New Orleans for 6 weeks, but being in a temporary remote location has not stopped him from being able to keep up with school at GCA—even exceling as an honor roll student. He has a dedicated school trailer on set where he can complete coursework, attend live classes, and communicate with teachers in between filming. He appreciates and enjoys how GCA has enabled him to pursue his acting career and academics simultaneously because he can do it from anywhere. He mentions how accommodating his teachers are, and how he feels he is not missing out on content. He is so thankful for how helpful his teachers are, and he credits his mom for helping him stay on task with keeping up with school and his busy acting schedule at the same time

Peyton wants to continue acting and also plans to pursue writing, hopes to produce music, and eventually become a director. He likes painting and particularly likes digital art. Peyton loves how nice all the teachers and staff are at GCA and he would like to shout out his teacher Ms. Adams. He suggests any aspiring young actors should follow their heart and consider GCA as a great school choice because of how helpful and accommodating it has been for him.
Do you want to learn even more about Peyton or keep up with his acting career? Check out his website and social media below:

Peytonjackson.net

Imdb.me/peytonjackson

IG @iampeytonj

FB Peyton Jackson

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