VIRTUAL SCHOOL: Student athlete Jakeob Pluimer discusses the perks of online schooling.
By Jasmine Arenas, Staff Writer
Stereotypes give non-tradition schooling a bad reputation, steering students away from life-changing alternatives. Many believe that students at Raincross, Summit View and Riverside Virtual School (RVS) are doomed to failure, due to lifestyle choices. These misconceptions drive students and their parents away from potentially better educational options, as they are unaware of the benefits of non-traditional schooling. However, Jakeob Pluimer (12) proves that these educational alternatives may be the best schooling options for student athletes.
Formerly a full-time student at Riverside Poly High School, Pluimer now plays for Poly’s varsity water polo team, but is currently enrolled in Riverside Virtual School (RVS). RVS is an online education program that allows full-time and part-time students in RUSD to continue their education off campus while still participating in activities on campus, such as sports. RVS gives students the option to take any class virtually or be concurrently enrolled through their home schools. This means that students have the option to take some classes online and some on their home school campus. Instead of being simultaneously enrolled in two schools, Pluimer chose to complete all of his classes online, while coming to Poly, his home school, to play for the boys’ varsity water polo team. He made this choice because it allows him to “play sports and be CIF eligible” while still continuing his education at his own pace. This proved to be beneficial for him. In regards to the rigorous high school curriculum which traditional schooling offers and the demanding practice time water polo requires, Pluimer shares that online school gives him the balance he was in need of. The student athlete plans on training hard for his last high school water polo season and graduating high school with the best grades possible. The stereotypes surrounding online education may have caused Pluimer to feel hesitant at first, but after getting educated about the program, he became “excited to see [himself] grow as a student and athlete.”
Through orientation, which involves a walk-through tour of Haiku, Grad Point and other sites online school uses, Pluimer learned that RVS provides an efficient educational system for all types of students. This gave Pluimer a newfound flexibility in his daily schedule. As a result of this flexibility, Pluimer is able to put in extra work in the gym, on his school work and in the pool. He explained that “[t]raditional schooling involves a strict schedule,” leaving little free time for extra school work and training. With the benefits of raising his GPA, getting ahead in credits and becoming a stronger athlete, Pluimer is more than satisfied with his educational choice.
The only downside Pluimer sees to online schooling is the lack of social interaction that traditional schooling provides. However, he explained that he was “never social to begin with.” Although interaction with others is limited with online school, students are provided a new level of responsibility, prioritization and the discovery of new capabilities within themselves.
Pluimer will be returning to Poly for the end of his senior year to graduate and spend time with his close friends and teammates. As he improves this season, he hopes to get noticed by water polo scouts. With all the extra time RVS provides Pluimer, he believes that this will be his best season yet.