MURRAY, Utah, June 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA), a statewide online public school serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade, honored 50 graduates during its 2012 graduation ceremony on May 31.

The ceremony took place at East High School in Salt Lake City. Derek Parra, gold medalist from the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in speed skating, delivered this year's keynote address.

"We're happy to celebrate our graduates' hard work and academic achievements at UTVA," said Stacey Hutchings, head of school at UTVA. "Graduation is a huge milestone in our students' lives and it not only pays tribute to their accomplishments, but also to the teachers and parents who were by their side every step of the way."

The ceremony also featured a speech by Valedictorian Tambra Smith. Smith was a member of the National Honor Society at UTVA and took several Advanced Placement (AP) and honor courses during her time there. Smith is going to the University of Utah in the fall to study premedical sciences.

Some of the colleges chosen by this year's graduating class include:

Brigham University
Weber State University
Dixie State College
Utah State University
Utah Valley University
Southern Utah University
Salt Lake Community College

About UTVA
Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA) is a full-time, fully-accredited online public charter school serving students in grades K through 12. As part of the Utah public school system, UTVA is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the award-winning curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about UTVA, visit www.k12.com/utva.

SOURCE Utah Virtual Academy