3 Students, 3 Unique Paths

How can an education at IVA High prepare you for the future? By listening to you and creating a high school experience that puts you on the path of personal success.

At IVA High, we help you shape a high school education to meet your needs, goals and interests. To give you an idea of what that flexibility looks like, here are 3 student stories that illustrate how students can partner with IVA High to create the best high school experience.

Pursuing NCAA Sports

Maria has been a member of the Long Beach Junior Crew since freshman year.  

Six days a week she practiced as a rower to pursue her dream of competing on a college team while also taking honors and college prep courses. Maria’s training started at 3:45 p.m. and ended at 6:15 p.m., so she was concerned this would conflict with her block 6 AP class. She met with her counselor to request a modified schedule to make it to practice on time. 

Since Maria was a reliable and hardworking student, she was approved to have her schedule adapted to accommodate her goals. Maria was able to leave school early during her junior year and also worked with her counselor to create a study block during her senior year. 

Maria also joined clubs at lunch and was an active Student Leader and Ambassador. As an  NCAA Accredited High School, attending IVA High ensures that Maria has access to high quality academics and extracurriculars that get noticed by recruiters. IVA High’s counselor and teachers supported her to apply to several colleges. With her commitment to her academics, Leadership Club, and rowing, during her senior year, Maria was offered an early admissions Athletic Scholarship to Cal Poly, Humboldt!

Dreaming of a Career in Engineering 

Mark has always been curious about how things work. He found joy in taking things apart and putting them back together in a new or better way. He found IVA High through a search for a tuition-free engineering pathway. Our partnership with Project Lead the Way offers students like Mark access to courses such as Engineering: Design and Development, Environmental Sustainability, and more. Mark loves that his voice is heard in the planning for which classes are offered at IVA High. 

Making college as affordable as possible is also one of Mark’s goals. He takes classes through our dual enrollment partnership with Long Beach Community College (LBCC) so he can earn college credits that will transfer to his future university. He loves that the LBCC teachers come to our campus - he doesn’t have to worry about extra transportation during the day. Mark also takes advantage of the college counseling offered at IVA so he’s prepared for the application process and scholarship opportunities. 

Exploring Options While Getting Paid

Jade has many interests and talents. From Art to Literature and clubs like GSA, Leadership, and Magic The Gathering, Jade loves that IVA High gives her the chance to explore options. She isn’t tied to a specific pathway, so she takes classes that give her a strong academic foundation while also trying out electives like Visual Art, Spanish II and Philosophy of Film. She also has an interest in politics, so she has been attending school Board meetings and speaks on behalf of the student body. This year, she was elected to be a Student Board Representative.

Jade was drawn to IVA High for the chance to have a paid internship. In the Fall, every Monday for three months, she interned for an Arts Studio for a total of 30 hours, including some weekend events. She supported community events, contributed to their art installations, and also helped children and adults in the community with art making. She starts her second internship with New FilmMakers LA next week, working every Wednesday after school for 6 weeks. She will be learning about cinematography, lighting, sound recording, marketing and production. This was an internship awarded though one of the dual enrollment courses offered on campus this semester.  

As she nears her senior year, Jade has a well-rounded transcript and resume that will help her get into college or go onto a career of her choosing. And the best part is that she learned a lot about herself along the way. 

What about you? Can you imagine what the best schedule would be for you to make your dreams happen? Reach out to us and we will work with you to build a plan that works best for your situation. Take control of your future today–we’re enrolling.

About IVA High

IVA High is a fully accredited, tuition-free public high school in Long Beach, California with a mission to empower students to think well: creatively, critically, and with a capacity for self-growth. Our learner-centered approach puts students in charge of their education, while dual enrollment and paid internships transform learning into action. Students come for college prep, STEAM and limitless options for their future; they stay for smaller, safer learning in a vibrant, caring community. IVA High - Curious Minds, Empowered Community - Join Us.