A Year in Review: Looking Back at ORCA’s 2022-2023 School Year
Our students and staff do an incredible job every single day creating a community that values knowledge, inclusivity and respect. It would be easy for those accomplishments to get lost in the hustle and bustle of our everyday work. So, before we travel too far into the current school year, we want to highlight a few of the most notable developments from last year. From exciting new program additions to community awards to impressive accomplishments by our students and staff, the 2022-2023 school year was certainly one to remember.
New Programs Launched in 2022-2023
Oregon Charter Academy (ORCA) continues to update our programs and add new learning opportunities. In June, ORCA became the state's first and only online school to join the Future Farmers of America (FFA). This new partnership provides students with opportunities for networking, academic scholarships, competitions and more.
We also added ORCA's first Esports team to our lineup of over 40 student clubs. Esports provides a tech-based alternative to traditional sports and offers educators valuable science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) resources. Participating students also develop other essential skills, like the 4 C’s: communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.
Supporting Local Communities
One of the most exciting aspects of an ORCA education is how we design learning experiences that extend into our local communities. ORCA students and staff organized multiple community food drives for their neighbors in need and supported their fellow students by collecting clothing to be stored in the ORCA Cares community closet.
Our CTE students also partnered with area businesses to raise medical funds to support children with life-threatening diseases through the nonprofit Sparrow Club. Local businesses challenged ORCA students to complete 300 hours of community service in exchange for $3,000 donated by the businesses. The money raised went to support ongoing medical costs for ORCA’s “sparrow” Noah, a seven year old boy who received a life-saving liver transplant when he was just two.
Community Awards and Recognition
Our individualized, dynamic, responsive education environment and customizable approach to a standards-based curriculum received outside awards and recognition last year. In 2022, ORCA won best public school overall, best charter school and best leadership in the Statesman Journal’s Best of the Mid-Valley awards — beating out more than 135 traditional public schools within Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties.
ORCA was also the only charter school in Oregon honored as a 2023 NASET Exceptional Charter School in Special Education (SPED) by the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET). NASET recognizes educational institutions that demonstrate remarkable commitment and proficiency in serving students with special needs. The selection process involved a rigorous evaluation of the school's programs, faculty expertise, student outcomes and overall impact on the special education community.
ORCA Staff and Students Making Waves
Of course, the new programs, events and awards would be meaningless without our incredible staff and students, so we're always thrilled to see them publicly recognized. Here are just some ORCA teachers and students who made their mark in the state last year:
Shawn Higgins, a coding and game-making teacher for grades 6-12, was awarded the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short Term Program, which sends U.S. educators to support STEM teaching in participating countries. Higgins traveled to the Philippines in January, where he helped train secondary school teachers to incorporate online and offline gamification in their classrooms.
Senior Grace Peterson was elected by her peers as the at-large representative in the Oregon Association of Student Councils, which mentors student leaders through service, involvement and action. Representing students throughout Oregon, Peterson is the only student attending an online school to sit on the council.
High school chemistry teacher Mark Cralen was one of 14 Pacific Northwest teachers to receive a $19,000 grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust of Vancouver, Washington, for the Partners in Science Program. The grant will cover Cralen's organic chemistry research at Portland State University and his attendance at science conferences.
High school senior Isaac Choi organized a community smoke alarm installation event over the summer. His team installed and updated more than 30 smoke detectors for elders in the Beaverton area.
Dan Vasen, Applied Programs Administrator, was selected as a 2023 NASA eClipsTM Educator Advisory Board Member from a pool of more than 160 candidates nationwide. The eClipsTM program offers teachers free educational resources to improve STEM literacy among students.
Angelina Cardona-Hurd and her brother, Carlos, advanced to the U.S. Mountain West Region playoffs while competing on ORCA's new League of Legends Esports team.
Summer Highfill, CTE Business Pathways Master Teacher, was awarded a scholarship by the Oregon Tourism & Leadership Academy. As the first educator in this program, Highfill represented ORCA's unique position as Oregon's only school to offer a Hotel Tourism Management education program. Additionally, Highfill secured second place in the eDynamics 2023 Compass Awards for the Hospitality & Tourism category. The award honors educators using eDynamic Learning to help guide students in their career discovery, keep them engaged and prepare them for their future.
New for the 2023-2024 School Year
We’re building off last year’s momentum with several new program updates for the upcoming school year that will help our Ascend/CTE students move directly into an in-demand career after graduation or take their next educational step.
Our veterinary pathway will now include augmented reality field experiences with a suite of iPads received through a CTE grant. Students in this pathway will also have the option to graduate with an Elanco Veterinary Medical Certification.
Our Hospitality and Tourism pathway now offers dual credit options with Chemeketa Community College, enabling students to move directly into Chemeketa's online certification and degree program with almost a year's worth of college credits.
Our ASCEND Math series students will be able to apply their skills to real-world problems, earn college credit in several courses, like Math 111 and 112, and leave high school ready for college and careers.
Our medical sciences team now offers courses in electronic medical records and the opportunity to be certified electronic health records specialists.
College Credit for Spanish Language Classes
Spanish language classes will also join our long list of dual credit offerings this year. Spanish 3 students can now sign up for the dual credit proficiency test and earn up to three college Spanish courses (12 credits) through Western Oregon University. Students can transfer those credits to the college of their choice if they choose not to attend Western after graduation.
ORCA’s Spanish teacher, Eric Briggs, is also launching a new Spanish for Business course, which covers fundamental business topics like the business cycle, marketing, operations, finance and more, all in Spanish. For 30 years, Briggs worked with companies like HP, Apple, Microsoft and Autodesk throughout Mexico, Spain and other countries. This is a tremendous opportunity for Spanish 3 graduates, as well as our heritage Spanish speakers, to learn about the business world through an international lens.
A First-Class Education Experience
The 2022-2023 school year proved that the online education our students receive is second to none. This doesn't happen by accident. Instead, it's the direct result of our investments in advanced technology and curriculum, along with educators passionate about providing individualized education for each student. We can't wait to see everything they accomplish in the upcoming year.
If you'd like to learn more about ORCA and the benefits of a virtual public charter school, join us for a virtual information session to connect with ORCA staff and preview our learning platform. We hope to see you at an upcoming event!