When Matthew Lefebvre decided he needed more time to follow his passion for business and real estate, the 17-year-old Mont Vernon student turned to Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS) to finish high school online.
Now, after a successful senior year of full-time enrollment at VLACS, Lefebvre has his high school diploma and is now the youngest licensed realtor in New Hampshire. He’s well on his way to a budding career in the burgeoning real estate industry, and he admittedly owes much of it to his experience at VLACS.
Having graduated in June, Lefebvre is now working at Keller Williams Realty and hopes to apply to the University of Pennsylvania next year where he will attempt to get accepted into the school’s prestigious real estate program.
Why Finish High School Online?
Looking back at his decision to finish high school online, Lefebvre said it was the flexibility of VLACS full-time virtual school program that allowed him to pursue his dream of becoming a real estate agent at such a young age.
Prior to becoming a full-time student at VLACS, Lefebvre said he began to realize that he was more interested in learning about business-specifically real estate. So, in need of a program that would allow him to pursue his extracurricular interests, Lefebvre turned to VLACS.
“VLACS offered a flexible schedule [so] I could fulfill all my interests,” he said. “The flexibility is probably the biggest thing about it for me. Most schools you have to go from 8 am to 3 pm and you don’t have any flexibility on that at all. At VLACS, I was able to do school work whenever I really wanted to.”
Homework at Any Time, Anyplace
Unlike a traditional school setting, Lefebvre said he chose not to do his schoolwork on a Monday-Friday basis. Instead, Lefebvre said he would find time out of each and every day of the week to get his work done.
“Every single day of the week I don’t have an activity going on, I do my homework, starting anywhere from 7 am to 7 p.m.,” he said. “I’ve done homework in some pretty odd places.”
His most favorite time to do work, however, came in the morning time. It was that time of day that Lefebvre said he had the most energy to get his work done. Despite having preferred times to do his schoolwork, Lefebvre said it was the uncertainty of his schedule that taught him a very valuable lesson about prioritization.
“My schedule had been so varied and different throughout the years that I had to kind of wing it,” he said. “It taught me to be a little more independent and to be ready for anything.”
On the Road to Real Estate
The accessibility of online learning at VLACS allowed Lefebvre to pursue an internship in the real estate field-which has ultimately led him to his current career path. The flexibility of online learning not only enabled him to attend an internship a few hours a day, but it also allowed him to take the classes needed to become an official licensed real estate agent.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do that a traditional school,” he said.
Pursuing Other Passions
In addition to his interest in real estate, Lefebvre said he was also able to take his newfound freedom from the classroom and apply it towards completing another activity he holds near and dear to his heart-Boy Scouts.
Using the free time throughout his day, Lefebvre said he was able to complete his Eagle Scout project, which involved restoring a trail system at Lamson Farm in his hometown.
“I wouldn’t have been able to finish it if I was going to traditional school,” he said.
While no school or learning environment works for everyone, students who become full-time students at VLACS like Lefebvre often cite flexibility, one-on-one attention, and the opportunity to explore interests, talents, and passions as reasons for moving to the school. Many students also find that they become independent learners and acquire many of the so-called 21st-century learning skills as a result of attending VLACS.
These 21st-century learning skills include:
- Flexibility & Adaptability
- Initiative & Self Direction
- Social Skills
- Productivity & Accountability
- Leadership & Responsibility
AT VLACS, we strive to make every student’s experience as successful as the one Matthew Lefebvre has enjoyed over the years. Our admission process for full-time students is intended to help support students as they transition to online learning. Enroll today to start earning credits toward your high school diploma.
