Jaxon Jerico, a 10th grader at PA Distance Learning Charter School, attended the Westmoreland County Music Educators Association’s Senior High County Chorus Festival on November 18th at Belle Vernon High School. He was the first cyber and charter school student to participate in the festival.
Music has always been a significant part of Jaxon’s life, influencing him to become involved with his elementary school’s chorus in 5th grade. He is now a student of Jess Sapp, a music teacher at PA Distance.
In his free time, Jaxon plays the guitar, participates in the eSports Team and the Dungeons & Dragons Club, and attends the weekly High School Hangouts. He also recently joined the Ukulele Club led by Ms. Sapp and Mr. Hart. Currently, his favorite song to sing is “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” by Panic! At The Disco.
Jaxon enrolled at PA Distance when he was in 9th grade. When asked what he enjoys most about online learning, he answered, “I like that I’m able to complete my assignments on my own time. I’m a night owl, so I finish most of my exercises pretty late, but it works for me.”
The asynchronous and synchronous school schedule encourages students to be independent and prioritize tasks in a way that best suits their learning style. In Jaxon’s case, he utilizes a visual calendar to organize his day-to-day activities.
“I’ve made amazing friends here! Before I started, I never expected so many opportunities to form relationships at a cyber school, and I think many people feel the same way.”
He can stay engaged while at home, whether it’s getting involved with an extracurricular activity such as the Ukulele Club or directly interacting with his classmates and teachers throughout the day.
Ms. Sapp couldn’t be more proud of her student. “Jaxon joined my 7th-12th grade choir this year called ‘Pandatonix,’ where he's been coming and singing! He is an awesome kid and a great leader for our clubs and our school.”
Regarding plans for the future, Jaxon hopes to be a voice actor or a photographer someday. But if neither works out, he would love to become a therapist. Knowing him as a talented and artistic student with a knack for helping others, we agree that any of these choices would be a great fit.