School is a place for students to learn and grow. The opportunity to go to school is one that should never go overlooked, especially when there are people around the world who are denied the chance for education. As Americans, we are incredibly lucky to be able to attend schools in our developing years. Online school is a growing trend across the country. In my county, one can take a class or two online throughout the school year. Some people use this as an opportunity to get ahead on graduation requirements; others use it to clear up space in their schedule. Regardless of why people choose online school, it is a wonderful opportunity for students to have. Students would benefit from the opportunity to take online classes because some kids have a tough personal life, online classes teach responsibility, and the world is quickly evolving into the technological age.

Sometimes life throws curve balls at you. It is impossible to predict what will come next. At any moment, someone could be diagnosed with a medical ailment that takes them out of school. When this happens, the opportunity to learn is stripped away from a child. With the inclusion of a program that allows students to attend class while not being on campus, these kids can still have the chance to continue on with their studies. Another example would be a child dealing with mental illness. As a person diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety, I know what it is like to feel too scared and too low to leave your house. During my sophomore year of high school, my father suffered a stroke. My world was completely shaken up, and the last thing I wanted to do was go to school. The combination of my turbulent home life and my raging mental illness caused me to spend many days out of school. I fell behind, and my grades suffered the consequences. This led me to fall into a deeper hole of mental illness; not even my grades were going well. Taking things day by day, I've done a lot of healing. I come to school most days, and my grades are as good as they've ever been. With this being said, I still have my struggles with mental illness. My family, along with the help of my doctors, has been pushing for the county to allow me to finish off high school through online school. This process has not been easy, but I am very lucky to be in an area where online classes are already offered. I am not the only teenager with mental illness, so I am sure there are other kids going through this. If more schools had a virtual classroom opportunity, it would help thousands of children in the long run.

Taking an online class requires a level of discipline that not all students have. You are in charge of logging into class, doing the homework, and making sure you understand the material. Being able to take an online class would teach many kids responsibility, and it would also instill a strong work ethic. If you didn't pass the class, you wouldn't get the credit. I feel like many students could learn from the opportunity to be in charge of their class. This prepares for college, where there is consequence for missing class. When kids are too used to relying on their teachers to keep them on track, it can lead to bad habits and poor work ethic. Because of this, online school should be an option to more students.

There are many people who do not agree with the idea of online schooling. The most prominent concern would have to be that the internet does not allow for the hands on, intimate learning experience one can get from sitting face to face with a teacher. It is proven that the best way to retain information is to write it down, pen to paper. Though this is true, it is important to take into account that the world around us is changing. As we move through the 21st century, more and more of our surroundings are digital. I myself have experienced a major shift in the school system; most of my school work is completed on my county issued Chrome Book, for example. The library is full of E-Books, companies do their work online, and there are jobs centered entirely around being on a computer all day. It is evident that there is a climate emergency on Earth, and the use of paper is not helping. Online classes would reduce the amount of paper waste schools go through, and would also limit the amount of paper needed. This has a positive impact on the environment, and I think it is important to take these things into account.

Overall, it is clear to see that there are major benefits found in an online school system. Students can benefit from the ability to stay in school, even when life gets tough. They can also learn what it means to be responsible, and practice living in our world of technology. For these reasons, I believe that schools should offer an online learning program.