Josh Shaw, from Uniontown, PA, has been a PA Distance student for over ten years. Since enrolling as a first-grader in 2010, he has been a determined, hardworking, and enthusiastic student. As a senior and graduating this year, Josh looks back on the lasting relationships he has developed with his teachers and classmates.

“My time at PA Distance has allowed me to build a lot of relationships with a lot of great teachers,” he explained. “Even after completing classes each year and moving on to the next grade, I know that the teachers are there if I need them for anything - whether it’s for their class or not.”

“They welcomed me with open arms when I came into this school,” he added.

Josh has been able to see, firsthand, how PA Distance has changed and grown over the years. “Since I’ve been a student, there has been a ton of technological improvements,” he said.

“I started with a large desktop computer, and now, I have a compact Chromebook,” he noted. “It’s cool to see how the school has grown, along with me, in many ways.”

Once he entered high school as a PA Distance freshman, he started thinking about his future and the opportunity to combine a career path with his interests.

“In the beginning of my high school career, I started to think about what I wanted to do in my future,” Josh said.

“I have a big love for the outdoors and science,” he noted. 

After much thought, Josh became interested in pursuing a career as a Pennsylvania Game Warden after graduating from PA Distance. He determined that a job as a Game Warden would provide a stable career and the outdoor exposure in which he was searching.

Through the PA Distance Odyssey Fellowship Program, he had an opportunity to talk with a Pennsylvania Game Warden to learn more about the career. Josh sat down with Officer Shuster, a Game Warden from Fayette County, PA. Josh detailed their conversation, and the variety of pathways to becoming a Warden, in a blog post.

“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to hear his story. He validated many of my plans for the future and made me excited to face graduation,” Josh explained. “I have had the opportunity to talk to a lot of interesting people through this program.”

As a fellow for the past two years, Josh spent a lot of time working with his classmate and co-founder, Molly, on their project: Life on a Wall. The Odyssey Program afforded Josh a unique experience, where he could pursue his passions for science and nature, outside of his core classes at PA Distance. His interest in these two fields made choosing an Odyssey project-focus easy. “I chose something that interested me and where I could learn something new, too.”

His Life on a Wall project is based on “living walls” which are walls designed to be a structurally sound and environmentally friendly addition to indoor architecture or outdoor cityscape. Josh’s Life on a Wall project helps bring awareness to the environmental benefits of living walls through a variety of assignments.

“I am a strong believer in fighting pollution and bettering human life through environmental science,” he explained.

Like many other students, Josh gravitated towards specific courses more than others during his time at PA Distance. “My favorite subject is history, and I managed to take every history elective possible throughout my high school career,” he said. “I took a lot of classes with Mr. Mysels.”

During his sophomore year, Josh joined social studies teacher, Mr. Mysels, for a program called Inspire U.S. Designed to encourage seniors to vote in local, state, and federal elections, Inspire U.S. explained the importance of voting.

“Our Inspire U.S. group would go into the virtual homerooms and give informational talks about the importance of voting,” he added. “All of the students involved in the Inspire U.S. program varied in ages and grades, which made it a cool experience.”

“We would make slideshows, posters, and flyers that teachers would distribute to their classes throughout the semester,” he explained. “It was a neat project.”

As his time at PA Distance comes to a close, Josh is looking forward to the upcoming graduation ceremony on June 6th. He noted that even though the event is virtual this year, it doesn’t change the overall excitement for the outcome. “Regardless of how graduation happens, it doesn’t take away the principal of what’s happening,” he said. “Whether it’s in-person or online, it’s a massive milestone we, as seniors, can’t help but be proud of.”

“PA Distance has always been spot on with making me feel comfortable within the school system,” he explained. “I’m going to miss all of the teachers.”

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About PA Distance Learning Charter School

Since 2004, PA Distance has been providing a welcoming virtual learning environment for students in grades K-12 across Pennsylvania. Students at PA Distance engage in a blended environment that combines “synchronous” and “asynchronous” learning. PA Distance’s mission is to blend proven classroom teaching techniques with educational technologies to promote academic growth for all students.