Fifteen year-old Sedan resident Kyla Mertes is not the typical high school student. As a volunteer with her local fire department, Mertes chose to finish her high school education entirely online, allowing her the flexibility she needed to continue volunteer work.

Mertes and her family are volunteers with the Peru Rural Fire Department. As a member of the volunteer junior fire department and the Junior Community Emergency Response Team, Mertes is often called out with her family to assist with fires on a regular basis. In order to stay active as a member, Mertes sought out a program that would allow her the opportunity to complete her school work when it was most convenient for her.

That’s when she learned about iQ Academy Kansas, an online middle and high school.  As she made the transition from public school to the online learning setting, she found the high-quality, personalized education of iQ Academy to be just what she was looking for.

“I really like the teachers and the open schedule,” Mertes said. “It’s challenging, but fun.”
In addition to the flexibility provided by the online learning environment, Mertes found that she could excel at her own pace. iQ Academy has been the ideal solution, providing her with free use of a laptop and the flexibility she needed to complete her courses and still be an active volunteer with the fire department.

“I wouldn’t be able to go out to help with a fire if I was in public school,” Mertes said.
Mertes’ school iQ Academy Kansas, a 7-12 program, offers a high-quality, tuition free education option that provides small group instruction and one-one-one feedback from licensed teachers and is available to students across the state.

“Online education has opened up a whole new horizon of educational choices and has become a critically important option for students and families across Kansas,” said Karen Roberts, Program Manager of iQ Academy Kansas.  “A wide variety of students excel in this setting, including athletes, previously homeschooled students, performers and others with special needs as well as students seeking Advanced Placement courses or electives unavailable in their local school district.”

For more information on iQ Academy Kansas visit www.iQAcademyKS.com or call 1-877-345-4757.