From National Competitions to Statewide Celebrations: ORCA’s Outstanding 2025-2026 Year in Review

Summer gives the Oregon Charter Academy (ORCA) community an opportunity to look ahead to another school year, but it’s also the perfect time to reflect on everything our students, families, and staff accomplished together.

The 2025-2026 school year included career-focused competitions, statewide recognition, national media appearances, in-person celebrations and learning experiences across Oregon and beyond. Here are just a few of the moments that made the year so memorable.

Making an Impact in the Community

During National Bullying Prevention Month, ORCA students and staff worked together to raise awareness about bullying and encourage kindness throughout the school community.

Students participated in age-appropriate activities designed to help them recognize bullying, support their peers and practice responsible digital citizenship. Schoolwide efforts included special Zoom backgrounds, student-led activities and lessons about cyberbullying prevention.

ORCA’s work also reached a broader audience through a Central Oregon Daily television segment focused on bullying’s lasting effects and the importance of creating safe, supportive learning environments.

Career-Focused Students Compete and Lead

ORCA students continued to turn classroom lessons into real-world experiences through ASCEND, the school’s career and technical education (CTE) program.

Twelve ORCA students participated in the HOSA Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference, competing in 18 events related to health care knowledge, leadership and professional skills.

ORCA’s newly established ASCEND DECA chapter also had an impressive inaugural year. The team received the 2026 Advocacy Campaign Award for its Career and Technical Education Month initiatives and was the only group in Oregon to earn the recognition. Three students later represented ORCA at DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Atlanta, joining more than 26,000 emerging leaders from around the world.

ORCA Students Excelling

ORCA students continued to achieve impressive things in their communities, competitions, and future educational pursuits. Here are a few of the accomplishments that stood out during the 2025-2026 school year:

• ORCA graduate Grace Choi received a full-tuition Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship to attend Duke University. Choi will participate in the Navy Pre-Med Option while preparing for a career in military medicine. She plans to pursue a pre-medical course of study and is interested in eventually becoming a flight surgeon.

• ORCA freshman Grace Schimpf was featured by FOX 12 for her success with the Mid-Valley Clay Crushers. The competitive shooting team brings together students from across the Willamette Valley and has earned recognition at the state, regional and national levels. 

• Fourteen-year-old ORCA student Kamdean Saager represented the United States at the 2026 World Union of Karate-Do Federations World Championships in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Saager qualified after earning three gold medals, one silver medal and two bronze medals at a national competition in Florida. Ahead of the world championships, he was featured by KOIN for his dedication to the sport and his goal of defending the world title he earned the previous year. 

• ORCA’s esports students continued competing through the national PlayVS platform in games including League of Legends, Rocket League, Overwatch 2 and Super Smash Bros. 

Learning and Connecting Beyond the Screen

Although classes take place online, ORCA students have plenty of opportunities to learn, explore and connect with classmates in person.

Students participated in field trips and regional events throughout Oregon. Experiences during the school year included visits to the Oregon Aquarium, the Stone House museum and the Hopkins Demonstration Forest, where more than 50 fifth graders participated in Outdoor School activities with teachers and high school student helpers.

A group of students also traveled with EF Explore America beyond Oregon for a six-day educational tour of Washington, D.C., and New York City.

College campus tours also helped students begin thinking about their lives after high school by giving them the chance to experience different campus environments and learn about available programs. Students visited seven colleges, including Portland State University, Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Chemeketa Community College, Oregon Coast Community College, Pacific University, and Central Oregon Community College.

Celebrating the ORCA Community

In-person celebrations gave students another opportunity to spend time with friends, meet classmates, and enjoy some of the traditional school experiences that families value.

High school students dressed up and danced the night away at ORCA’s 2026 prom, which featured a “Midnight in Paris” theme inspired by the City of Light.

The annual Spring Celebration brought students, families and staff together for an afternoon of games, activities and socializing. The event also included ORCA’s first E3 Fair, focused on helping students explore three potential pathways after graduation: enroll, enlist and employ.

The school year concluded with ORCA’s in-person graduation ceremony honoring the Class of 2026. Students from communities throughout Oregon gathered with their families, teachers and classmates to celebrate everything they had accomplished and begin the next chapter of their lives.

ORCA Staff Members Share Their Expertise

ORCA staff members also made an impact beyond the school community during the year.

John Meyer, ORCA’s career and technical education district program director, was featured in the Portland Business Journal discussing how career-connected learning can help strengthen Oregon’s future workforce.

His perspective demonstrated how educators, schools and employers can work together to help students build skills, understand their options and feel more prepared for life after high school.

Join Us for a Virtual Information Session

The 2025-2026 school year was filled with learning, growth, competition and connection. We’re proud of everything our students and staff accomplished and can’t wait to see what the ORCA community achieves next.

To learn more about ORCA’s curriculum, student activities or approach to online learning, join one of our upcoming virtual information sessions.