Winning Virtually

Recently I've seen news stories about how virtual learning isn't going well because so many students are failing: "Virtual learning is a real struggle; failing grades up across America, research suggest" has appeared in several news sources; "Schools confront 'off the rails numbers of failing grades" is one AP story that appeared in my local paper. Even though some would like to get back to in-person schooling, that likely won't happen soon: "Schools want to end online classes, but COVID19 class might send everybody home" appeared in USA today;

But what if some students who didn't attend school succeeded? After all, a lot of home-schooled kids do fine or even excel. And many are turning to home-schooling instead of virtual schooling.

In October, I won the “What If I Graduated from Homeschool” short story contest that my Lake Writers group had online. Word limit for the story was 500 words. 

My entry: 

Easiest way for me to get educated—if I didn’t want to walk two miles down the mountain and then ride a bus for an hour—was being homeschooled.

“Time it takes to git to school, you could have both them cows milked, all the eggs gathered, plus the stock fed,” was Daddy’s answer when I wondered what real school was like. “You can learn at home.”

I guess he was right.

At first I used workbooks and lesson plans some company sent us. Three years ago, when a tower was built one ridge over, we got internet. I went through as many lessons as I could. Finally Mama said, “It’s time you graduated.”

Our county expects homeschoolers to take a test for a diploma, so one morning Daddy drove me to the school board. We were too early, so he left me there waiting while he went to Tractor Supply and Walmart.

Before long, an old car limped into the lot. I walked over and asked the driver if he needed help with the flat.

“I’m about to call somebody.” He pulled his cellphone out of his pocket.

“No need to do that,” I said. “I can change your tire. Where’s your jack?”

He didn’t look like he believed me, but he got his jack, lug wrench, and spare tire from the trunk. I got to work.

“Isn’t that too heavy for you?”

“No sir. I’ve done this plenty of times.”

In ten minutes I was finished. He offered to pay me, but I refused. “Wasn’t any trouble,” I said.

He thanked me, drove to a parking space, and went to the building’s front door. I wiped my dirty hands on the grass that was still wet with dew. Soon a lady pulled into the parking lot. When she went in, I figured the building must be open, so I went in too.

Halfway down the hall was an open door, so I figured that was where to go. I told the lady why I was there, and she told me to take a seat at a table that had an open laptop on it. She explained how I had ninety minutes to take the test online.

I finished in an hour.

“It’ll take fifteen minutes to get your score,” she said. “Then the superintendent will interview you. You can wait in the hall.”

I went to the water fountain and the restroom and then sat on a bench and waited. Before long, I was called in.

Turns out the superintendent was the man whose tire I’d changed. He thanked me again, told me I’d passed the test, and asked about the subjects I’d studied online. I told him and mentioned that Daddy had taught me carpentry and auto repair.

He smiled and said, “You’re officially a homeschool graduate. We’ll mail your diploma in a few days. Congratulations, Emma Lou Smith!” 

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