Happy National Online Learning Day! Today, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of students, educators, schools, and families who make online education a powerful and transformative experience. Online education offers more than just a broad selection of subjects—it provides a personalized learning environment tailored to individual needs and interests, while fostering a vibrant online community, all integrated with a Christian approach.
National Online Learning Day celebrates how online education enriches students’ academic journeys and personal growth and Sevenstar Academy has been at the forefront of this for nearly two decades. Online learning opens the door to new opportunities by offering students the flexibility to balance academics with extracurriculars, sports, and family commitments. It provides an affordable alternative to private school education and supports stability in unique situations like living abroad, health challenges, or frequent relocations. With technology, students can pursue their passions, learn at their own pace, and enjoy more control over their schedules.
For families like Holly Newburn’s, online learning has been a transformative solution. As a wife, mother, missionary, and lifelong educator, Holly has experienced firsthand how Sevenstar Academy provided the flexibility, academic rigor, and Christ-centered foundation her family needed during different seasons of life. Here’s Holly’s inspiring story, in her own words, about how Sevenstar Academy became an answer to prayer for her family.
A Journey of Flexibility and Faith
Sevenstar Academy was an answer to prayer for our family. As a teacher/administrator for almost 30 years, I know very well that every student has unique educational needs. I’m pleased to share how Sevenstar has become an important part of our family’s story.
Almost 10 years ago my husband and I, both public school teachers in Washington state, felt God calling us to leave behind our happy and comfortable lives for the mission field in Guatemala. At the time, our two young children attended the public elementary school where I was a teacher, and I believed my calling was to be the salt and light in an increasingly dark educational environment. But as is always true, God’s plan for our lives was so much better than our plan.
When we landed in Guatemala, God led us to a wonderful ACSI-accredited Christian school where, for the first time, our kids received biblically integrated instruction from Christ-following teachers. They developed deep-friendships with other missionary kids, and with other Christians from Latin America, and enjoyed a typical school experience. For a season, this in-person school met our family’s educational needs and allowed my husband and me the freedom to serve in the ministry for which we felt called here.
I first became aware of Sevenstar Academy in 2019 when I stepped into the role of director for my kids’ school. It was and still is increasingly difficult to find and retain good teachers, which for a small international school meant a limited course offering, especially for upper-level Honors or Advanced Placement (AP) classes. We partnered with Sevenstar to enroll students in AP/Honors classes in addition to their regular coursework to earn credits and boost their GPA. In her junior year, our daughter completed two AP Sevenstar classes, in addition to her regular classes. Sevenstar prepared her well and her scores on the College Board standardized tests helped her receive excellent college scholarships.
Embracing Flexibility for a Growing Family
As our family grew and changed, so did our educational needs. In 2018 we adopted a 7-year-old Guatemalan boy with special needs, and in 2023, our daughter left Guatemala to attend college in the US. I now work online from home while my husband still serves full-time in our ministry. The increasingly inflexible in-person school schedule created conflict and stress in our home. We wanted our older son to be able to take advantage of service opportunities in our ministry, but it was difficult for him to miss his classes to do so. He also became involved in music and community theater, but with eight hours a day at school plus 2-3 hours of homework a night, he struggled to find enough time during the school day for all the things he wanted to do.
When our priorities changed, we considered online and homeschool options and Sevenstar checked all the boxes. As a junior, our son needed more options for core classes, a broader selection of electives, and a flexible schedule that would allow for theater practices, music lessons, and opportunities to serve with the ministry. From our experience with our daughter, we knew we could trust that Sevenstar classes would be taught from a solid biblical worldview, while still providing rigorous content that would prepare our son for college. At first, he was uncertain about leaving his friends and the comfort of the known, but after a great deal of prayer, we trusted that God was leading us into this new educational season.
…we knew we could trust that Sevenstar classes would be taught from a solid biblical worldview, while still providing rigorous content that would prepare our son for college.
As a former teacher and school administrator, my expectations were high- I wanted a user-friendly online learning experience, qualified and experienced teachers, and a flexible schedule without being cost-prohibitive. It was also critical that our son receive instruction grounded in a strong biblical worldview. At first, we were skeptical about his ability to manage his daily workload and schedule, after attending in-person classes since kindergarten, but he was surprised to learn how much he enjoys having the ability to manage his time. The onboarding support from Sevenstar helped us navigate the initial bumps, and after only a few weeks, we saw tremendous growth and maturity as he learned to manage his time well.
Online Learning: A Personalized Approach
As he became more comfortable with the online learning platform, his attitude toward school improved. Since he now has additional time in his day to do the things he loves, he is not as fatigued at the end of the day, which means he is also more pleasant to be around. He chose the block schedule option, which means he only manages 4 classes per semester. And we love that Sevenstar prioritizes service by requiring all full-time students to complete 40 hours of volunteer service each academic year.
After only one semester, we can see how well Sevenstar is preparing our son for college. He has had to be more intentional about socializing, but so far, he has been able to connect with friends at church and youth groups. I love the personalized Weekly Progress Reports I receive, which inform me of his current grade in each class, and any assignments that are late. I feel informed and included in his education without feeling overwhelmed by my role in his learning.
As he prepares for his next semester, he’s considering an AP or Honors class and maybe even dual enrollment for his senior year. Whatever we decide, I know that the people at Sevenstar will work with us to create a plan that will allow our son to thrive academically and spiritually, with the flexibility to pursue his other interests. Sevenstar has been a blessing for our family, and we are grateful for the people who are devoted to providing students with a high quality, faith-based learning alternative.