Southeast Arkansas students were among graduates from Arkansas Virtual Academy (ARVA) on May 10.
Student speakers Aubrey Grace Cody of White Hall and Jacinda EviaLe Cribbs delivered remarks at the graduation ceremony, sharing their personal journeys and ARVA’s role in shaping their futures. Cody’s career focus is business finance, according to a news release.
ARVA celebrated its Class of 2025 with a ceremony at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Jack Stephens Center. ARVA is a tuition-free, online K-12 public charter school powered by K12.
ARVA offers career and college prep for grades 6-12. By combining traditional high school courses with industry-relevant, career-focused classes, students can get a jump-start on their college and career goals.
Area graduates include:
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
WHITE HALL: Ruben Lutz; Jacob Henderson; Brianna Lambert; Aubrey Cody; Nevaeh Huber
PINE BLUFF: Hunter Wells; Zoey Haynes; Savannah Jahn; Mahiyha Martin; Meaghan Straughn; Alexis Shaw
RISON: Madalynn Davis; Cameron Cupples; Madison Kloap
STAR CITY: Emma Kelley
STUTTGART: Alyssa Gonzalez
DERMOTT: Titus-Timothy Jones; Aurick Lewis
SHERIDAN: Hannah Robinson; Aiden Turley
HAMPTON: Brianna Walker.
This year’s 576 graduates are leaving high school with more than diplomas — many have earned college credits, completed career training or are preparing to enter military service, according to the news release.
“From rural communities to urban centers, ARVA students across all 75 counties have used the school’s flexible online model to pursue meaningful, individualized paths beyond the virtual classroom and shape their futures,” according to the release.
ARVA high schoolers customize their experience through career and technical education (CTE) pathways, dual credit college coursework and access to honors and AP courses. Many also engage in hands-on learning at ARVA’s Education Hub in Little Rock, which offers space for career readiness training and in-person engagement.
“Our students come to us with big goals — and ARVA equips them with the tools and guidance to achieve them,” said Amy Johnson, executive director of ARVA. “This graduation proves that personalized, statewide public education can be rigorous, relevant and rooted in the real world.”