New Mexico Virtual Academy (NMVA), an accredited, full-time online public school program of the Farmington Municipal School District, will celebrate the Class of 2018 at a graduation ceremony on Friday, May 18, at the New Mexico Veterans’ Memorial in Albuquerque.

Dr. Joey Escobedo, Albuquerque Public Schools director of charter schools, will deliver a keynote address to the 25 graduates, which will also include a formal presentation of diplomas. NMVA teachers and staff will be in attendance to recognize the students’ achievements.

Logan West will serve as the Class of 2018 valedictorian, and Parker Lovesee is the salutatorian. West was enrolled in a dual-enrollment program with New Mexico Junior College and also earned his Associate Degree on May 11. He plans to study science or engineering in the honors program at Texas Christian University this fall. Lovesee has received a $21,000 scholarship to attend New Mexico Tech.

NMVA’s graduates report that they have been accepted to a number of colleges and universities, including University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Tech, Eastern New Mexico University, San Juan College, Santa Fe Community College, Central New Mexico Community College and Dona Ana Community College.

“Graduation is a wonderful time to celebrate our students’ hard work and many accomplishments,” said Lorraine Nobes, director of operations at New Mexico Virtual Academy. “This is the first step in our graduates’ life journeys, and we can’t wait to see what great things they will accomplish.”

Through a combination of online instruction, hands-on curriculum and the support of state-licensed teachers, NMVA fosters a personalized approach to education for each student. In order to attain their diplomas, high school students are required to successfully complete credits in the areas of English, math, science, social studies, physical education and general electives, as well as either a foreign language or career/workplace readiness elective. Students must also meet all state testing requirements before earning their diplomas.

NMVA’s students have built strong relationships with their classmates during their time with the school. They interact with each other through the virtual classrooms, as well as discussion threads and instant messaging. In addition, NMVA offers many in-person activities throughout the school year, including field trips and dances – in fact, prom will take place Friday evening at 6pm at the Veterans’ Memorial Center.

Media are welcome at the event. Details are as follows:

New Mexico Virtual Academy Graduation Ceremony
Friday, May 18 – 10 a.m.
New Mexico Veterans’ Memorial
1100 Louisiana Blvd. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

About New Mexico Virtual Academy

New Mexico Virtual Academy (NMVA) is an accredited, full-time online public school program of the Farmington Municipal School District that serves students in grades 6-12 across the state. As part of the New Mexico public school system, NMVA is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the curriculum provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation’s leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about NMVA, visit http://nmva.k12.com.