Valedictorian Profile
Prepared for the Future, Gavin Williams Earns Valedictorian Honors
When Gavin Williams’ family moved from Maryland to Mount Pleasant, the then fifth grader never dreamed he’d one day be giving a valedictorian address in front of his fellow graduates. Moreover, since at the time he was brand-new to how a cyber charter school worked, it’s likely Gavin didn’t realize an in-person graduation ceremony was in the cards at all. But on June 2 in Hershey, Pa. Gavin will proudly join the live commencement celebration, leading Agora Cyber Charter School’s 544-student graduating class of 2023. Gavin will humbly address friends, family, teachers, and classmates as the year’s valedictorian, a goal he set his eyes on ever since a faculty member encouraged him to do so.
The Williams family moved from Maryland to Pennsylvania shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, which motivated Gavin’s parents to switch him from a brick-and-mortar education to Agora. While initially the cyber-school model was attractive for the greater sense of safety and security it offered, the family soon realized the many unique ways Agora supported educational, social, and personal growth. “Being in honors at Agora has allowed us to go really in depth with our learning, and I was learning with and from such a diverse group of peers that allowed me to see different viewpoints,” said Gavin, who enjoyed eight years at Agora, from 5th grade to senior year. “I’ve met people not just from one area but all over the state. With Agora, I will be so much more prepared for the future!”
For the school, every student is a success story in Agora’s dedication to pursuing educational excellence, not by changing the way students learn, but by changing the way they are taught. From stimulating curriculum to an extensive variety of online and in-person extracurricular activities and many more opportunities, each student is nurtured to be well rounded, achieve their highest potential through actively engaging in their own learning, and venture forward on a future of fulfillment. For Gavin, that future is one in which he will potentially serve others as a physician. He hopes to attend Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa., where he would pursue biology and pre-med.