The Khan siblings may be in different grade levels, but they are all 'classmates.'

"We have some good competition like who can finish first, who has better grades," said Muhammad.

That's one of the benefits of attending virtual school.

"I would say my elder sister is kind of a beacon for me. She helps me with chemistry, algebra 2, the courses that I get stuck on I ask her for help so it’s a blessing to have her with me," said 

The three have been enrolled at Osceola Virtual School since 2018.  One of the biggest draws to the program was the abundant dual enrollment opportunities.

"I'm in calculus, ethics, government, and statistics," said Munaimah.

The Khan siblings also enjoy the resources that OVS provides, including virtual office hours with their teachers and collaboration sessions with their peers.  However, being able to create your own schedule comes with a lot of responsibility.

Munaimah likes to start around 8am while taking an occasional break.  She usually wraps up her classwork and assignments by 4pm.  Her siblings on the other hand like to start later.

"I tend to focus better during the night, so sometimes I’ll take a break and start focusing on AP Art History in the evening," said Maieda.

Osceola County students have two learning options for next school year: attending school in person or applying to OVS before July 16th.
 
"You have to meet certain criteria," said OVS Director Marcia Clevenger. "It is not an automatic.  You must have state testing scores that are on grade level, you have to be a good reader, you need to be eligible for promotion to the next grade level and you need to have C or above in all your classes."

Students who are accepted will have to complete an interview process. 

Ms. Clevenger and her staff are excited to introduce some new features during the fall semester.  Those features include live lessons for select classes and monthly home room virtual meetings.

"We will also have an on-site progress lab here next year so they can come in and if they are having trouble staying on pace, we will have a teacher here who can help get them organized and back on track to make sure they finish the semester," said Ms. Clevenger. 

If you are considering OVS next year, the Khan siblings have some advice for you.

"Don’t be intimidated with the independence that comes along with the school," said Maieda.

"You have the opportunity to expand your boundaries," said Munaimah.  There are multiple opportunities in a virtual school that you might not have in a traditional school."

Click here to watch this video.