COLUMBUS — Three students from Clinton County were among the more than 450 graduating seniors who recently received their high school diplomas as members of Ohio Connections Academy’s (OCA) Class of 2024. More than 270 of those students traveled to the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus on June 8 to participate in the online public charter school’s commencement ceremony, according to a news release.
The three Clinton County students are Selena Godinez of Sabina, Jerikah Havens of Sabina, and Ryan Tinne of Blanchester.
“While we are a non-traditional school, each year we look forward to the opportunity to celebrate our graduates and this academic milestone with a very traditional ceremony,” said Ohio Connections Academy Superintendent Marie Hanna. “These students came to our school in search of a learning environment that met their individual needs. This ceremony is not only a celebration of their achievement, but their determination to find an academic setting where they could succeed.”
More than a third of Ohio Connections Academy graduates indicated they plan to attend a two or four-year college or university including: Ohio State University, Kent State University, University of Toledo, Harvard, University of Dayton, University of Cincinnati, Purdue University, Cuyahoga Community College and Columbus State University. Other graduates plan to receive vocational training, enter the workforce or join the military.
Among Ohio Connections Academy’s Class of 2024, there is a National Merit Commended Scholar, a College Board National Hispanic Recognition Award Winner, two College Board National African American Recognition Award winners and 16 Governor’s Merit Scholarship winners. Several of the graduates have earned full-tuition academic and performing arts scholarships. Several others have earned NCAA athletic scholarships. Overall, the Class of 2024 has received more than $2.2 million dollars in college scholarships and awards.
Among the Ohio Connections Academy graduates honored during the ceremony were valedictorian David Pellot of Cleveland and his sister, class salutatorian, Delicia. Both students enrolled in the online school in 2020 to be in a more consistent learning environment during the pandemic and used the schedule flexibility to also take college courses. David is expected to earn an associate degree in bioengineering from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) this summer. Delicia received an associate degree in English earlier in May and will continue working towards a bachelor of arts in English at Cleveland State University.
During the ceremony, David addressed his fellow graduates and used the opportunity to encourage the Class of 2024 to celebrate all they have achieved, remember the people who have supported them along the way, and look forward with optimism and hope.
“Each of us have gone through different struggles to get to this point and we’ve grown from our experiences for the last few years,” David said. “The changes we’ve experienced have made us strong and courageous. Change is not only what makes us human, but it’s what makes us better people.”
The Class of 2024 is the 16th graduating class for the high-quality, tuition-free virtual school for students in grades K–12. Ohio Connections Academy serves more than 4,800 students across the state and offers a high-quality curriculum taught by state-certified teachers who specialize in virtual education. As a full-time online school, Ohio Connections Academy combines traditional courses with industry-leading, career-focused options through its expanded college and career course offering designed to help students develop the right skills, gain real-world experiences, and make industry connections. Online learning benefits many students, allowing them to learn at their own pace while having the flexibility to explore a variety of subjects.
