Growing up I lived on the slopes. Skiing was my passion and all I ever wanted to do. Then in seventh grade I suffered a devastating fall and spent months recovering. Navigating the halls of my regular public school became nearly impossible with a broken leg. So, my parents enrolled me in California Virtual Academy to help make my recovery easier. With online public school, I could focus on recovering from my injuries while still being challenged in school.
At CAVA I decided to give computer science a try. And, I fell in love with it! I enjoyed it so much I successfully petitioned the school to start its first AP computer science course. This led me to Montana State University, where I completed an internship working on 3D mapping to help autonomous cars detect oncoming vehicles and pedestrians. Three months after graduating college, I’ve started my next opportunity — the chance to work on the first mission to land humans on the moon since the 1970s.
Looking back, I could never have imagined how much the decision to attend online school would help me find my passion and change the trajectory of my life. But, I’m thankful that it did.
Kyle Melton
Mammoth Lakes