Meet Lily and Arianna

Lily loves science and is always searching for her next experiment. Arianna runs her own baking business and has big dreams for the future. Together, these enthusiastic sisters thrive in a flexible learning environment that gives them space to pursue their passions while also giving mom peace of mind.

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Why This Family Chose K12

Lily and Arianna’s mom and Learning Coach, Elizabeth, loves watching them learn their own way. K12-powered school offers flexibility, so fast-paced Lily can work ahead, and entrepreneurial Arianna can run her business.

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Learn in a flexible, positive environment

Lily and Arianna learn at home, without the typical distractions found in traditional schools. Between classes, Lily feeds ducks at the park while Arianna whips up delicious desserts.

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Tailor learning to your leanings

Each sister chooses classes that speak to their unique interests. Lily tackles extra science assignments, while Arianna learns new business lessons every week.

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Enrich your education with extracurriculars

K12 connects students with local and national clubs, activities, and events that provide added enrichment virtually and in-person. Arianna stays busy in Future Business Leaders of America.

Cooking Up a Foundation for the Future

Arianna is part of her school’s K12 Career and College Prep program. She takes advanced business courses, such as entrepreneurship, where she can challenge herself and apply what she learns to her own bakery business. Plus, she receives mentoring from dedicated career coaches.

Flexible Schedule With Live Class Anchors

Schoolwork for Lily and Arianna is a mix of scheduled, live online classes, self-guided assignments they can complete at their own pace. There are also career-specific pathway activities like Future Business Leaders of America meetings.

A benefit of schools powered by K12 is that the educational materials—a computer, textbooks, supplies for offline activities, and more—are provided.

Alt text: "Weekly schedule for Lily and Arianna, displaying activities from Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 7 PM. Includes breakfast, classes like Math Live and English Live, teacher office hours, and activities such as Family Movie Night and golfing with cousins. Color-coded for individual and joint events."

Curriculum

The number of classes students take varies per grade level and individual. For example, students in 7th grade, like Lily, typically take between 5–6 subjects each semester, with maybe 2–4 requiring scheduled, live classes.High school students like Arianna, typically take 3–6 subjects each semester, with 2–3 of those requiring scheduled, live classes.

In addition to core academic subjects, there’s a great selection of career-related electives, including the business pathway courses Arianna enjoys.  

The Parent Experience as a Learning Coach

At K12-powered schools, parents (or other responsible adults) act as Learning Coaches for their students. Certified teachers lead class instruction and Learning Coaches typically spend 1–3 hours each day with middle and high school students, providing guidance and oversight. Arianna and Lily work independently, but their mom and Learning Coach Elizabeth helps keep track of schedules, talk with teachers, and answer questions.

Hands-On Learning Beyond the Classroom

Lily loves science and her big family (they have 30 cousins!). She does extra experiments and even connects science to her family’s regular trips to the duck pond. Once, she heard bread wasn’t good for the birds, so she researched a better option. Now, they feed them boonworms and are clearly the ducks’ favorite visitors.

Time away from the computer looks like …

Family of six posing by a serene lake, surrounded by trees and flowers. They are smiling, conveying warmth and togetherness in a natural setting.
A young girl in a pink sweater joyfully blows bubbles outdoors. She is seated near a wicker table with bubble-making supplies and bottles, set against a brick wall background.
Three people garden on a sunny patio, tending to a potted plant. A fence and house are visible in the background, creating a relaxed atmosphere.
A family sits on grass by ducks, feeding them and enjoying a sunny day near a house. The scene feels relaxed and joyful, with a large tree providing shade.

Extracurriculars and Clubs

Arianna connects with other young business owners and students who have similar interests. She attends weekly Future Business Leaders of America meetings and yearbook club—and still has time to make post office runs for her business and make goodies for family movie night.

Family Q&A

Lily: I like that I’m able to do my schoolwork on my own schedule. I can finish my assignments faster than I could in my traditional school, which means spending more time with my family.

Arianna: I like that I’m able to challenge myself more. I can pick courses at or even above my grade level to really push myself. Plus, there’s no drama, no fights, no peer pressure, and no bullying.

Elizabeth: Doing online school has brought us closer as a family. That’s a bonus.

Elizabeth: This school has ended up being such a great community, and that really helps when you have more than one kid in an online school, like us. I’ve met the teachers, and they’re all so supportive of my daughters. The teachers always reach out and are here to help. I didn’t have that before.

Arianna: One thing that surprised me was that I didn’t realize I could graduate early. I thought that was only a traditional school thing until my counselor told us about it. I jumped on that opportunity right away!

Elizabeth: The fact that K12-powered public schools are tuition-free was a significant factor because we have a big family. In addition to Arianna and Lily, we have two younger children. The school sends all the materials. All of that was provided for us.

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Learning With K12

From kindergarten to high school, K12 provides tuition-free online education that empowers students to learn in ways that work for them. Browse options in your state to find the perfect fit for your family.

These are the stories of real students attending K12-powered schools and their families. Content is a combination of direct quotes and summaries from interviews. Their stories each reflect their experiences at their respective schools. Actual experiences can vary by student and school. These pages are designed to reflect a typical day in the life of a student attending an online K12-powered school. Individual class schedules and requirements will vary by state, school, and the individual needs of each student.