ROME TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- When Connie Yates realized her son, Westin, wasn't doing well at Fairland High School, she searched for an alternative way for him to get his education.

Two years later, Westin Yates is a high school graduate, earning his diploma through Ohio's Virtual Community School.

VCS Ohio, which just celebrated its sixth commencement in Columbus, offers students a flexible and convenient alternative to traditional public school at no cost. Courses are taught by certified teachers using an interactive curriculum. Students also are provided a computer, printer, scanner and Internet access while they are taking classes.

Lori Berkheimer, the director of communications, said Ohio's virtual school program was started in 2002. It's one of the first of its kind in the country.

"It's a new way for students to learn," she said. "A new way to go to school for students who don't fit the traditional mold for one reason or another."

Berkheimer said there are many reasons the virtual school is a good match for a student, including disabilities, bullying or sports. She said there is a student currently taking high school classes through VCS Ohio who is one of the top ranked tennis players in the country, and another girl is a highly talented pianist who performs all around the world. The online school also offers advanced instruction for gifted students whose education needs have surpassed a particular school's course offerings.

For Westin Yates, the choice was more about being in an atmosphere where he could learn.

"When I went to Fairland, I just didn't like being around (the school)," he said. "I wanted to escape and get a better education. I don't think my education would have come out better if I hadn't done it."

Westin Yates, who will attend Marshall University, said he feels more academically prepared for college. He said he was a C student at Fairland but consistently earned high grades from VCS. But he didn't earn those grades because it was easier.

"They don't recommend this to anyone who doesn't feel ... motivated," Westin Yates said. "There is honestly no way you can skim through this."

Berkheimer said the teaching staff is specifically dedicated to the online students, and the expectations placed on them are real.

"I would say it's even harder than a traditional school because of the responsibility (of the student) and involvement of the parents," she said.

Connie Yates said she could access her son's work from her computer at her job to make sure he was keeping up with his homework and logging in on a regular basis. She said she kept a close eye on him for the first few months before it was evident that he was taking to his new routine.

"I never had a moment when I doubted it was working because I would go on every day to check his schoolwork," Connie Yates said. "He had to have the mindset that he was going to work on schoolwork every day."

VCS Ohio is a free program for students in first through 12th grade and paid for with tax dollars through the Ohio Department of Education. It also is managed by its own superintendent and school board.

The curriculum meets Ohio Department of Education standards, and students have to take the state achievement tests and graduation test in person.

The curriculum has many unique features, Berkheimer said. Students can get credit for some of their classes, such as physical education, by having a YMCA membership and using the facility to exercise.

But there are shortfalls. Berkheimer couldn't say specifically, but experiments in the advanced science classes are limited because chemicals are not available to the student. It also takes away the opportunity for social participation.

She said VCS Ohio has been working to initiate more clubs and create opportunities for students to meet one another. The student's home school also has the right to allow the student to participate in sports and other activities, such as school dances and clubs.

Westin Yates said VCS Ohio allowed him to work at his own pace, stay focused and achieve to his highest level. With all that, he said he'll worry about socializing in college. It may not be for everyone, he said, but it worked for him.

"I think it changed my life academically," he said. "I know in my heart that I would not have maintained the grades I had because of the distractions (at Fairland)."

For more information on Virtual Community School Ohio, visit www.vcslearn.org.

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