MIDLAND, PA (May 29, 2024) – It’s a time of excitement and celebration for more than 1,000 students at the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) as they prepare for the next phase of their lives following commencement next week. Many PA Cyber seniors plan to pursue in-demand professional fields, including STEM, nursing, and teaching.
The public cyber charter school will host two in-person commencement ceremonies, which will be held geographically. Students in the eastern portion of Pennsylvania will attend a ceremony on June 5 at 2 p.m. at Kutztown University, while those in the western portion of the state will attend a ceremony on June 7 at noon at Robert Morris University. Approximately 5,000 visitors will gather between the two ceremonies; however, viewers can livestream each one at www.pacyber.org/graduation.
“Graduation is truly my favorite time of year. It is an incredible feeling to watch all of the students celebrate their hard work and success at PA Cyber,” said Danielle Schlessinger, the school’s High School Principal for grades 9-10. “Our hope is that students feel confident about tackling the world post-graduation, no matter where their future endeavors lie. We want them to be self-reliant, self-assured, and willing to face challenges head-on!”
Abigail Hagopian will speak at the eastern ceremony and Riley Rickard will speak at the western ceremony as class representatives. Hagopian plans to study education at Gettysburg College on an academic scholarship after she takes a gap year. Rickard is eager to start an organic farm alongside her family, selling organic produce and compost.
Both representatives reflect on what they’ve learned from their teachers while attending PA Cyber. “I have been blessed to have many incredible teachers who are so passionate and knowledgeable about their respective subjects and truly care about their students,” Hagopian said, “and I can only hope that I will one day be like them.”
Rickard said her teachers often discussed the benefits of having a growth mindset. “Every time you fail or do something wrong, it’s not bad,” she said. “It helps you learn and get better, and that’s helpful in every situation. This will stay with me.”
Brian Hayden, the school’s CEO, said, “Seeing our graduates walk across the stage is the best day of the year for all of us at PA Cyber. We are so proud of all that they have accomplished, in the classroom and beyond. I know that their time at PA Cyber will help them achieve their future goals.”
Following the 2024 commencement, more than 22,000 students will have graduated from the school since its inception in 2000. PA Cyber alumni have attended some of the top universities and trade schools in the country and have made their mark in a wide range of professions and fields.