Student Success Archives

Making Waves: How Kylie Luczywko Swam from Learning a Life Skill to Chasing an Olympic Dream

« Back | noviembre 14, 2023 - ASU Prep Digital

Photos courtesy of the Luczywko family

A necessary skill turned ambitious dream, fifth-grader Kylie Luczywko of Anthem has evolved from a practical swimmer to aspiring champion. Initiated into swimming at a mere 6 months old for safe family adventures at their lake property in Central Wisconsin, she now ranks among the nation’s top 8% of swimmers in several events.

Although Kylie dabbled in various sports as a young child, swimming was the standout – the one that never elicited complaints. By age 6, she joined Swim Neptune in a pre-competition league, escalating to competitive swimming by age 8.

The drive to push her boundaries, securing first place, entering high-level meets, and achieving her season-start personal goals keeps Kylie motivated and thrilled. This season, she’s eyeing state-qualifying times in the 11-12 age group, aspiring to compete at the Arizona Age Group State Championship in March 2024 in Oro Valley, and hoping to qualify for the 2024 Southwestern Age Group Regionals—having missed last year’s qualification in the 50-yard Butterfly by a mere 0.01 seconds.

While extensive pool time could potentially derail schoolwork, ASU Prep Digital, discovered by Kylie’s family a few years ago through neighborhood friends, proves an adept solution. The virtual school not only quenches Kylie’s knowledge thirst but also provides vital scheduling flexibility for her swim practices and meets.

“For our family, it is the best of both worlds,” says Adriane Luczywko, Kylie’s mom. “The staff, the ease of fitting school into her training, and the amazing academics all make it a great fit for us.”

In the coming year, Kylie intends to apply to Khan World School, a specialized program within ASU Prep Digital designed for academically driven kids. Peering further into the future, she harbors lofty goals: swimming in college, preferably for an NCAA Division One school, and pursuing professional swimming—with the Olympics firmly in her sights and heart.

Explore how ASU Prep Digital facilitates students like Kylie in navigating their passions alongside academics at asuprepdigital.org.

Miguel Mora: Rising star, balancing acting and academics

« Back | octubre 3, 2023 - ASU Prep Digital

Miguel Mora, an ASU Prep Digital microschool student, is not your typical high school junior. He is a rising star with 2.8 million followers on TikTok and another 1.3 million on Instagram, plus credits in the 2022 horror film The Black Phone.

Miguel recently spoke to Fox News about the impact of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strike on his career. With a pause in his acting projects, Miguel has kept himself occupied by attending charity events in Los Angeles and working on collaborations and partnerships.

Miguel also prioritized his studies. Thanks to the flexibility offered by the ASU Prep microschool program, he completes some classes remotely and others on an ASU campus. “That’s essentially what I really like about this program. Not only do I have the benefit of doing school online, but I can also come to the campus and socialize with some of the other ASU prep students as well.”

Regardless of his celebrity success, Miguel plans to complete both his high school and college education, sharing, “100% I look forward to being an ASU alumni.”

Trista Zobitz, ASU Prep’s Microschool Program Manager, commended Miguel’s effective use of the hybrid program, noting that he’s taking a couple of college courses alongside his high school curriculum and plans to graduate early.

Mora’s story is a testament to the flexibility and adaptability of ASU Prep’s microschool program, which allows students to balance their unique passions and education.

Watch Miguel’s Fox News interview here.

ASU Prep’s Class of 2023: Celebrating our Stand-out Graduates

« Back | julio 17, 2023 - ASU Prep Digital

ASU Prep’s May 25th graduation celebrated more than 550 students from across the five ASU Prep Academy campuses as well as the ASU Prep Digital program. Among the class of 2023 were gifted scholars, competitive athletes, flourishing artists, and students with inspiring stories of success. ASU Prep is proud to have played a role supporting these dynamic students and their journeys.

Paris Cepkauskas: Creative Artist

Paris Cepkauskas is well-prepared for her future, thanks in big part to the concurrent classes she took while still enrolled at ASU Prep Digital. With an impressive 47 college credits already applied to her major (graphic design with a minor in fashion design), Paris will be able to graduate in just three years. What’s more, those courses gave her a sneak peek of what to expect when she becomes a full-time Sun Devil; she’s headed to ASU’s Barrett Honors College this fall.

Paris says, “ASUPD was the best decision I could have made for my education, and I wouldn’t change a single thing.” She adds, “Having the flexibility gave me so many more opportunities to follow my passions and spend time with the people I love.” For Paris, this means more time to dedicate to art, family, and friends.

Paris’ creative interests include theater, art, and design. The artistic design she created on her graduation cap earned her second place. It’s no surprise her future plans include working as a graphic designer.

Paris advises incoming freshmen to really work with their teachers, asking questions and building relationships.

Vivek Habbu: Badminton Player

As a professional badminton player, Vivek Habbu knows a thing or two about staying fast on his feet and keeping his eye on the prize. An international student from Pune, India, Vivek has taken advantage of the flexibility ASU Prep Digital offers so he can balance academics with his badminton career.

ASU Prep Digital’s approach, including academic rigors, interactive learning tools, and one-on-one time with faculty have been an ideal fit with Vivek’s practice schedule and learning style.

Vivek says ASU Prep Digital has given him an “important overview of college life” and he has enjoyed the experience so much that he plans to study physics as an undergrad through ASU Online. He looks forward to continuing his education as well as his badminton career.

Mahkaylah Hopkins: The Importance of Relationships

During her time at ASU Prep Academy South Phoenix, Mahkaylah has learned the importance of relationships – with staff and peers, family, and most importantly, herself.

One of Mahkaylah’s favorite aspects of ASU Prep is the connections she made with supportive staff members. She gives special shout-outs to Mr. Gibbs for being “so consistent, reliable, and caring,” Mrs. Avise for being “an outlet” for Mahkaylah to express her feelings, and Miss Tahj and Miss Tendai for being “beautiful people,” providing strong African American female influence. Also important to Mahkaylah are her classmate connections and “learning what it meant to be a friend.” As student body president of the Class of 2023, Mahkaylah was able to really immerse herself in school spirit and culture.

After experiencing her parents’ tumultuous divorce and her mother’s passing in 2015, Mahkaylah values the profound effect her family has on her. She recognizes her dad for “unconditional love and support,” her stepmom for being “a breath of fresh air for our family,” and her Chicago family for support from afar.

Mahkaylah has grown through navigating life experiences, including her personal journey to overcome depression. The most important relationship she’s fostered along the way is the one with herself. She proudly attests, “Discovering how to love yourself is definitely one of the best experiences in the world. I did the work, I adapted, I learned, and I loved.”

This path has led Mahkaylah to be a nationally recognized scholar with numerous scholarship offers from various institutions. She plans to attend ASU in Tempe this fall, where she’ll be majoring in philosophy with an emphasis on morality, politics, and law.

Terra Jang: Multi-faceted Learner

A stand-out scholar, Terra is graduating from ASU Prep Digital with an unweighted 4.0 GPA, plus 31 college credits – all courses she earned dual credit and straight As for completing. Not to mention that she is a National Merit Finalist, scoring a perfect 36 on the ACT college admission exam.

Terra also excels outside of the classroom, designing and crocheting amigurumi (Japanese-style little creatures made of yarn). In an International Amigurumi Design Contest, Terra won 21st place (out of 687 design entries) for an adorable sea otter.

A well-rounded community member, Terra volunteers as an ASU Prep peer tutor, as well as within her own neighborhood as a “Big Sister.” She has been a part of various clubs, including the robotics club and the video game club.

Terra will be studying computer science at Vanderbilt in the fall. Impressively, she is one of just 10 students among the incoming class at Vanderbilt’s School of Engineering who have been selected as this year’s Clark Scholars and will receive, among other perks, a spot in the university-funded summer program and $15,000 per year.

Saraia Lolly: Career-Driven

When asked about her experience at ASU Prep Academy Polytechnic, Saraia focuses on her career ambitions and the learning opportunities to pursue them.

As a sophomore, Saraia earned a spot in a highly competitive Running on Sun Internship that gave her a front-row seat to ASU’s chemistry program. Through the internship, Saraia gained hands-on experience with scientific projects that opened her eyes to the countless ways technology solves problems – in science and beyond.

That experience inspired her to pursue a career putting technology to practical use solving modern world problems. Saraia was accepted into the Building Leaders and Creating Knowledge (B.L.A.C.K.) Community, a residential program that incorporates Black/African American/African cultural knowledge and experiences with academic support in a living community. “I’m looking forward to being surrounded by people who look like me and have the same goals and values,” Saraia says, noting it’s an extension of the recipe for success she discovered at ASU Prep Poly. She plans to major in business management with a minor in cyber security at the University of Arizona this fall.

Saraia encourages future students to “focus on education because that is what will get you where you want in the long run.”

Paul Montoya: Ahead of the Curve

Paul Montoya, Jr. graduated from ASU Prep Digital with 26 Arizona State University classes under his belt (78 college credits in all), putting him well on his way to earning a bachelor’s degree in computer systems engineering with a focus in cyber security.

Combined with credits earned through community college, Paul has enough hours stacked up to enter ASU’s College of Engineering as a college senior – at the age of 18. He plans to live on campus in the freshman dorms, but he’s also planning to celebrate his college graduation exactly one year after he receives his high school diploma.

Paul covered most of the requirements for his freshman and sophomore college courses during his sophomore year at ASU Prep Digital (and the summers before and after).

Starting his junior year, he began attending more advanced courses on the ASU campus, in addition to fulfilling his high school requirements. He earned credibility among his older peers by carrying his weight (and then some) on group projects, and he began competing in monthly tournaments with the ASU Chess Club, where he again held his own.

The only thing holding him back from entering the professional workforce just a year after finishing high school is a desire to experience the social aspect of college. So as any academically gifted student would, he’s considering a dual undergraduate degree – or maybe even attending grad school to pursue a PhD in nanotechnology, which he mentions with humble nonchalance.

This summer, he is spending twelve weeks in Houston as an intern at Honeywell.

More Awesome Graduates

ASU Prep is so proud of all of our graduates. We asked each graduate to tell us where they are headed for their post-secondary plans, their favorite memory from ASU Prep, and who they would like to thank. Read their responses here.

Next-Level Twinning: Identical Twins Graduate as Co-Valedictorians

« Back | julio 17, 2023 - ASU Prep Digital

Andrew and Nicholas De Lapp, 2023 ASU Prep Casa Grande graduates, excel in many areas, “twinning” included. The identical twins stuck together through high school, succeeding in academics and participating as student-athletes at Barça Residency Academy, the prestigious elite youth soccer program located within the Grande Sports World Campus that ASU Prep Casa Grande calls home. Most recently, the dynamic duo was recognized as co-valedictorians of their 2023 ASU Prep graduating class.

As Andrew and Nick prepared to turn the tassels of their graduation caps and deliver their co-valedictorian speech, they reflected on their high school journey.

The ASU Prep Experience

When recalling favorite moments, the De Lapp twins agree they enjoyed organizing and participating in school events, like a recycling contest and field day. For Andrew, a standout experience was volunteering for a nonprofit organization, explaining, “It cemented my love of helping others and volunteering to make an impact.” For Nick, participating in these events helped him “see how much I love helping people.”

Andrew and Nick also praise Barça Academy as crucial to their growth at ASU Prep. Because it’s a residency program, student-athletes live away from home in dorm-like accommodations, helping the brothers prepare for the independence of college life and beyond.

On the path of balancing a schedule full of extracurriculars, soccer, and rigorous academics, the staff at ASU Prep was there to support at every step. Andrew acknowledges that everyone at ASU has been “massively helpful” but is especially grateful to Sean Mark, a chemistry teacher who “sparked my love of science.” Nick singles out principal Sylvia Mejia for promoting a great learning environment and countless opportunities. The brothers both credit academic advisor Denice Douglas for all her guidance and endless support.

Nick, the older brother by two minutes, sums it up well. “When I look back at ASU Prep, I will most remember the people I met. The people you bring along on your journey make it that more special. Build a network of more inspiring, smarter, more successful friends, mentors and co-workers, and they will help you succeed in your own right.”

Lessons Learned along the Way

Success doesn’t come easy, and the brothers both acknowledge challenges along the way. Andrew felt the pressure of the college decision process, including researching and visiting schools, while still keeping up with his school work and extracurricular activities. Despite the hard work, Andrew says, “Life is all about enjoying the experience. It’s vital to take some time to enjoy the moment. If you’re always working, you’ll never be able to enjoy what you’ve worked for.”

Nick feels the most challenging experience has been balancing a busy schedule and maintaining the confidence to get it all done. He credits his strong support system for keeping him going and advises others, “Cherish every single moment. Do your best at anything you do and try everything. I believe the regret of having never done something feels much worse than the regret of failure or embarrassment. You can learn something from each experience you have.”

It’s a Family Thing

Along with ASU Prep Casa Grande and the Barça Residency soccer community, the De Lapp brothers credit their family for providing them with support and strong guidance. Their parents both work in the healthcare field, their father as an orthopedic surgeon and their mother as a physical therapist. Nick calls them “very hard workers who juggle a lot of responsibilities,” while Andrew says they’ve “always been there through thick and thin,” providing a strong example and inspiring the recent graduates to pursue their own futures in the medical field.

Andrew plans to become a neurosurgeon, while Nick aspires to be an orthopedic surgeon like his father. Having already earned college credits while attending ASU Prep, they are well on their way to meeting these goals.

The duo earned merit scholarships and this fall will head to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota to continue their education and play soccer for the Scots—Andrew as a winger and Nick as center back.

Best of luck to these two outstanding ASU Prep graduates. With a strong foundation and their performance record, Andrew and Nicholas De Lapp are sure to succeed in all their future endeavors.

Student Spotlight: Lincoln Wallace, #3 Midfielder

« Back | junio 13, 2023 - ASU Prep Digital

Lincoln Wallace, Adventurous Student Athlete

ASU Prep Digital student and California native Lincoln Wallace doesn’t come from a soccer-playing family, but when his dad was deployed in the military, his mom got him involved in a soccer camp. He jokes that at the young age of five, “everyone’s good,” but Lincoln really was good and has continued to play competitively since.

Playing as a midfielder, Lincoln is positioned between the defenders and the forwards, being involved in both assists and attacks. “A midfielder has to be diverse,” he explains, and that seems to be Lincoln’s take on life as he broadens his experiences, trying new things and learning important lessons.

Skillfully Managing Soccer and School

Lincoln was attending his local public high school and playing on a club soccer team when he was invited to play at a tournament in Spain, which is how he spent the first few months of his freshman year. Then a summer soccer tournament took him to Germany, and shortly after returning to the United States, the International Soccer Academy invited him to come play for the Integrated Academy U17 team at the prestigious Bundesliga soccer club Hertha Berlin.

Within days of the invitation, Lincoln was heading back to Germany to train with other talented 16- and 17-year-old players from around North America. Registered in ASU Prep Digital’s flexible online school program, he was also set up to successfully complete his sophomore year.

Lincoln thrives on the independence this experience has granted him, explaining, “My favorite part is having to manage my own day. I’ve got to go to two trainings, but besides that, I could go to the store or I could do school. I could just do anything on my own time, which is really nice.”

Lincoln says that all of his ASU Prep Digital teachers were really nice and easy to contact, always there to help if needed. His favorite classes were Forensic Science and Spanish, and he says he looks forward to trying something new by taking Photography next year.

“My favorite part is having to manage my own day. I’ve got to go to two trainings, but besides that, I could go to the store or I could do school. I could just do anything on my own time, which is really nice.”

Life Lessons

Living away from home and family while juggling soccer and school seems like it could be a really challenging experience for a 16-year-old, but Lincoln insists it was relatively easy.

“What makes it worth it for me is I’ve always wanted to play soccer all day and just keep improving. I’ve improved on everything like soccer, meeting new people, getting comfortable in new spaces and situations.”

When it comes to big life lessons, Lincoln says, “Well, I always say if you fail or if you mess up, the only thing that matters is your reaction. It works on and off the field. Like for example, you lose the ball on the field or if you get a C on a test, you can’t do anything about it. It’s the reaction after. You train or study harder.”

Considering that motto, Lincoln reflects on his favorite moment from his eight months in Berlin: a comeback against RB Leipzig’s academy team. “Early in the year, we lost to them. Then, right before the end of the year, we went back. They’re a really big club, one of the biggest. As a team, we all worked so hard, and we demonstrated everything we learned the whole year, and we beat them! It was just a really great experience.” Lincoln will cherish not only the big win but the chance to feel like a professional player competing against a prominent team at an impressive arena with a photographer in tow to capture every special moment.

“I’ve improved on everything like soccer, meeting new people, getting comfortable in new spaces and situations.”

Up Next

Lincoln is back home in Southern California for summer break, although he’s still working hard. He’s signed up for boxing class and plans to run track, hoping that mixing up his training will help him to become an even better soccer player, more coordinated with faster acceleration and quicker movements.

Also on Lincoln’s to-do list: participating in the Nexen Manchester City Cup in San Diego, an annual youth soccer tournament that hosts over 10,000 players, ages 6-18.

More than pleased with his experience at Hertha Berlin with “the awesome atmosphere, fans, facilities, players, and coaches—everything” and his academic success with ASU Prep Digital, Lincoln will return to Hertha Berlin in the fall, working toward his ultimate goal of playing professionally in Europe.

Student Spotlight: Hugh Eaton, #19 Forward

« Back | junio 8, 2023 - ASU Prep Digital

Hugh Eaton, Taking Power Shots

Hugh Eaton, 17-year-old ASU Prep Digital student athlete, is taking power shots when it comes to his future, getting a jump start on his professional soccer career. Overseas. While still in high school.

Because of ASU Prep Digital’s flexible and personalized online curriculum, Hugh is able to continue his schooling while also playing forward for Hertha Berlin’s elite Integrated Academy team in Germany. Hugh was recruited for this prestigious opportunity as part of the International Soccer Academy, a program that brings talented North American players to Europe to train on dedicated teams at top Bundesliga and La Liga youth soccer academies.

Giving 100 Percent to School and Soccer

Hugh says he’s loved soccer since he started playing at around eight years old and knew he wanted to play professionally after watching the World Cup tournament. As for his family, Hugh says, “They fell in love with soccer when I started playing. They love watching the game. And they know that it’s my dream to become a professional, so they’re 100 percent behind me.”

“You’ve got to be independent. You’ve got to be mature and disciplined. You’re coming all the way from the USA to Germany to do this, you’ve got to work really hard on it.”

Hugh himself has learned about giving 100 percent. He says that to be a part of this program, “You’ve got to be independent. You’ve got to be mature and disciplined. You’re coming all the way from the USA to Germany to do this, you’ve got to work really hard on it.”

For Hugh, this means moving away from Southern California for eight months to develop as a youth soccer player. He had previously traveled to England and Spain to play soccer but only for two weeks and with the company of his parents. This time, he was living in dorm-style housing with teammates while balancing classwork and training.

As part of his ASU Prep Digital curriculum this year, Hugh took on German, Chemistry, and Precalculus. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot more in online school because for the most part, it’s very independent,” explains Hugh. “You meet with teachers regularly, and they have been great and very supportive,” he says. Regarding the nine-hour time difference with his ASU Prep Digital teachers, he explains that they’ve been flexible about scheduling meeting times for Discussion Based Assessments around his soccer training and competitive matches. At ASU Prep Digital, Hugh has been able to be a successful student earning high academic marks and balancing the demands of taking his soccer skills to the next level.

Hugh says playing for International Soccer Academy at Hertha Berlin has given him a glimpse into what it will be like to play professionally, with access to the best coaches, physical therapists and training facilities while also playing with and against fierce competitors. Getting to attend professional Hertha Berlin matches has also been a bonus.

“I feel like I’ve learned a lot more in online school because for the most part, it’s very independent.”

Having Some Fun

Hugh says the friendships he’s made have been a highlight of his time in the program. When arriving in Berlin, he did not know any of his teammates, but the camaraderie came naturally through shared experiences like traveling, practices and games, and meals at their “hotel” — the Berliner Fußball-Verband.

He laughs, remembering when a smaller teammate scored a header, and everyone ran to him, jumping on him, celebrating. Talking about his teammates, he says, “They’re like best friends now because I’ve spent almost every minute of the last year with them.”

Up Next

Hugh has returned home until August and is looking forward to spending time with family and friends and his former coaches.

Lucas, his former roommate, a fellow ASU Prep Digital student, is also from Southern California, and they both are returning after the summer for a second year of intense training at International Soccer Academy — this time at FC Schalke 04. He’ll also be completing his senior year with ASU Prep Digital.

Ruotong Shen: ASU Prep Digital International Student

« Back | junio 7, 2023 - ASU Prep Digital

Ruotong Shen was born with hip dysplasia and misalignment that caused much of her childhood to be spent at different rehabilitation centers and hospitals throughout China. She would spend early mornings in treatment and then rush to make it to school on time. While those years were tormenting for Ruotong, she considers them an empowering experience, reflecting, “As I look back on that experience now, I have even more gratitude. [It] allowed me to have endurance and a firm heart far beyond my peers.” She has used that positivity and strength to adapt easily to new situations, including pursuing education through American online school.

Because of multiple hip surgeries and reoccuring pain, Ruotong knew virtual high school would be her best option. She chose ASU Prep Digital because of their great reputation for flexible but rigorous online college-preparatory courses. She appreciated the program’s strong relationship with Arizona State University and trusted ASU’s established online programming.

Thriving with ASU Prep Digital

Ruotong explains that managing her classes was “an easy task, as long as you make a list of what you need to learn every week.” With her checklist ready, she was able to organize assignments for each of her classes, including leadership, English, and biology. In leadership class, for example, she might watch a video and then complete an essay. She could check that box “done” and move on to her next to-do item.

With her own health history, it’s no surprise that Ruotong has an interest in medical science. For this reason, she found her Forensic Science class especially interesting. A particularly engaging assignment simulated the forensic analysis of the death process, which made Ruotong feel as though she was personally on the scene, making the online learning experience truly interactive and inspiring.

When it comes to the online school experience, Ruotong appreciates the collaborative online learning environment ASU Prep Digital provides, where curiosity and creativity is encouraged, as well as discussion and collaboration with peers.

Building relationships with teachers is also possible in an online learning environment. Ruotong, who goes by “Mandy” at American school, left a positive impression on her teachers, who said, “It was a pleasure to have her in my course,” “Always prompt with work and willing to go above and beyond,” and “Very hard working, polite, and all around great kiddo.” Her Mandarin teacher complimented Mandy saying, “She actively participated in class and consistently produced exceptional projects that showcased her language skills and deep understanding of Chinese culture.”

Benefits of ASU Prep Digital

Ruotong recognizes the many benefits of ASU Prep Digital, pointing out how accommodating the program is, explaining that “students can avoid the time and space constraints of traditional teaching models.” In her case, this means taking online American classes from the comfort of her home in China. She’s able to manage her time, working where and when she’s most comfortable, avoiding the physical pains she’d endure in a traditional in-person school.

She goes on to add that the program can work well for both introverted and extroverted students, allowing students to get involved as much as they feel comfortable. “I would definitely recommend ASU Prep Digital to my friends or classmates,” says Ruotong of her successful experience.

If you are interested in ASU Prep Digital, please join us for an online info session where you’ll have the chance to ask questions and learn about all the exciting opportunities at ASU Prep Digital.