Families who want to transfer high schools in Long Beach often ask us whether it’s too late. Our answer is simple: there is no wrong time to find the right school.

Adisa is proof. He joined IVA High at the start of his junior year, and in a little over a year he’s earned college credit, stepped into a leadership role, and made a brand new campus feel like home.

Meet Adisa.

Arriving Junior Year and Getting to Work

Adisa transferred to IVA High at the start of 11th grade. Junior year has a reputation as the hardest year of high school, and starting it at a brand new school could have meant spending months just finding his footing.

Adisa got involved right away. Teachers noticed him as a leader in class, the student who asks the follow-up question and helps a classmate who’s stuck. Within a year, he’d made IVA High feel like his school.

Adisa at a Glance

• Grade: 12th
• Joined IVA: Beginning of 11th grade
• Dual enrollment: 4 college courses completed, 2 more this semester
• Leadership: Music Club leader
• Passions: Learning an instrument, community advocacy, and social justice

Earning College Credit Before Graduation

By the end of this semester, Adisa will have completed six courses through the dual enrollment program. That’s real college credit, earned while he’s still in high school, in a little over a year at IVA High.

Dual enrollment asks a lot. Students manage college-level reading, college deadlines, and college expectations on top of their high school schedule. Adisa has taken that on semester after semester, and he’s heading toward graduation with a head start on his next chapter.

Leading Music Club

This year, Adisa stepped up to lead IVA High’s Music Club. He’s still learning his own instrument, and he sees that as a strength. A club leader who is figuring things out alongside everyone else makes the room feel open to beginners.

Speaking Up for His Community

Outside of class and club meetings, Adisa leans into advocacy and social justice issues in the Long Beach community. He cares about the people around him and wants to understand the forces that shape their lives. That same curiosity shows up in his classes, where he brings real-world questions into discussion.

Every Path Leads Somewhere

Adisa’s story shows what can happen when a student finds a school that fits, even with only two years left. He didn’t wait to belong. He showed up, took on hard courses, and started leading.

If your student is thinking about a fresh start, we’d love to meet you. Schedule a campus visit and see what your student’s path at IVA High could look like.

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 exploratory pathways for their future; they stay for smaller, safer learning in a vibrant, caring community. Get to know us on social media @ivahigh and on the web at www.ivahigh.org 10 Years of Curious Minds, Empowered Community – Join Us!