Now a senior, Adam Patelunas has been a student at PA Distance since his family enrolled him when he was in kindergarten. Like most students, Adam has enjoyed the many benefits that PA Distance has to offer.

“I like the open-ended-ness of how you can learn in the classes. With it being online, if I am struggling with something I can G-chat or email a teacher about it and get feedback even if I’m outside of the live classes,” Adam explained. “I like the flexibility of the work. If I need to I can go to my classes even if I am away from home.”

Adam has taken a variety of classes at PA Distance over the last 12 years, some of Adam’s favorites include AP Statistics and Financial Literacy. 

“I like learning about the terminology and rules of statistics, and how it applies to the real world,” he said. “I enjoy Financial Literacy because of how immediately useful the information is. Every unit that I do I can apply that knowledge to my life. Learning about how interest and credit work are especially helpful to know early on before making any big financial decisions.”

However, most of his enthusiasm lies in computer programming and graphic design and he hopes to pursue a future within these fields. Adam is interested in attending Orange Coast College and eventually transferring to a four-year university shortly thereafter.

“I plan on going to school for a computer science degree. After that, I would like to work as a computer programmer,” he explained. “I'm also interested in graphic design, and could see pursuing that field in the future as well.”

In his free time, Adam often puts his computer knowledge to the test by taking a hands-on approach. “I've always been very interested in computers, and I started to try and fix computer problems myself instead of going to a repair place,” he added. “Replacing hard drives and troubleshooting programs may seem surface level at first, but it gives you an idea of how all the parts fit together and how it all works. It gives you a real application for what you are learning, and an obvious goal.”

Adam’s career at PA Distance is coming to a close as he is on track to graduate this spring. Now, he looks back on the benefits of learning in an online environment.

“The classes are recorded and I can go back to those recordings if I need to, and if you ever miss a class you can still view the recording of it later,” he noted.

“PA Distance is great for learning how to learn new things. Knowing how to find information online is a crucial skill to have, and having online classes and assignments are very good practice and experience for those skills,” he noted. 

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Do you have a story to tell about PA Distance? To be featured on our blog, website, and social media, contact Kelsey Holsinger at kelsey.holsinger@padistance.org.