--- title: Blog - Acceleration Academies | Jeffrey Good (24) description: Stories and insights from Acceleration Acedmies (24) --- [![acceleration academies logo](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/wp-content/themes/acceleration-academies/library/images/placeholder/aa-logo.png) ![acceleration academies logo](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/wp-content/themes/acceleration-academies/library/images/placeholder/aa-logo-footer.png)](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/) - The Program « Back - [High School Completion](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/the-program/high-school-completion/) - [Our Flexible Approach](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/the-program/our-flexible-approach/) - [Personalized Teaching](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/the-program/personalized-teaching/) - [Career Coaching](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/the-program/career-coaching/) - [Meet Our Graduates](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/the-program/ourgraduates/) - [Social Support & Aid](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/the-program/social-support-aid/) - 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[Bethel](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/our-locations/washington/bethel/) - About Us « Back - [Our Accreditation](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/our-accreditation/) - [Our Team](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/our-team/) - [News](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/news/) - [Blog](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/blog/) - [Pathways Magazine](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/pathways-magazine?hsLang=en) - [Become a Partner](https://altedpathways.org/) - [Careers](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/about-us/careers/) - [Contact Us](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/contact-us/) - [Events](https://www.accelerationacademies.org/events/) - [Login](https://studentinnovate.educationincites.com/#/client/myincite) - Search [Get Info](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/request-info?hsLang=en) [Enroll](http://accelerationacademies.org/enroll) Menu  Search Close Search Form Close Menu Our Blog ## The Stories & Insights That Matter Filter by category Student Stories Florida Alternative Education Meet Our Graduates Graduations South Carolina Charter Schools Miami-Dade Sarasota Going Back to High School Staff Perspectives 10 Years of Acceleration Academies Ector Personalized Learning Texas Georgia Academies News & Events Academies in Action Career and Technical Ed Gwinnett County (GA) St. Lucie Bethel (WA) Location Clark County (NV) GED vs Diploma High School Diploma CTE Data in Education Dropout Recovery Nevada value of a high school diploma Washington Alumni Broward County (FL) Duval County Escambia County Marion County Myrtle Beach/Conway (SC) Student Mental Health Lee County Online High School Santa Rosa County (FL) School Choice Technology California Cincinnati (Oh) DeKalb County (GA) Enrollment Help Hillsborough County (FL) Insider Los Angeles My Acceleration Academies Story National School Choice Week Ohio Partnerships Wichita, KS [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Jacinta2Bat2Bwork2BLAA.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-2-26-from-our-academy-leaders-one-powerful-data-point-we-use-to-improve-student-engagement-is-tgk8s-3tll6-7f8lb-36td3-4s748-7xykf-8d74n-h3z9d-dkyty) ## [Academies in Action: Looking Back on a Challenging Year](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-2-26-from-our-academy-leaders-one-powerful-data-point-we-use-to-improve-student-engagement-is-tgk8s-3tll6-7f8lb-36td3-4s748-7xykf-8d74n-h3z9d-dkyty) December 2, 2021 | Jeffrey Good Each month, we take a moment to learn from the educational leaders who bring the Acceleration Academies mission to life, day in and day out. This month, we asked our Academy Directors to respond to this prompt: The year 2021 brought many challenges, including a lingering pandemic and the challenge... [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/StalleonGlassandWendy.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-10-20-after-drifting-away-from-high-school-ccaa-grad-makes-himself-and-his-mom-proud) ## [After Drifting Away From High School, CCAA Grad Does Himself Proud](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-10-20-after-drifting-away-from-high-school-ccaa-grad-makes-himself-and-his-mom-proud) November 30, 2021 | Jeffrey Good Stalleon Glass knew time was running out. After drifting in and out of a succession of high schools, he saw his 21st birthday fast approaching — and, with it, the deadline for earning his diploma before he aged out of the public school system. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/SAAKhaliaAugustinhighres.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-11-30-you-can-do-this-sarasota-math-coach-khaliah-augustin-pays-it-forward) ## [‘You Can Do This:’ Sarasota Math Coach Khaliah Augustin Pays it Forward](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-11-30-you-can-do-this-sarasota-math-coach-khaliah-augustin-pays-it-forward) November 30, 2021 | Jeffrey Good Like many of her students at Sarasota Acceleration Academies, Khaliah Augustin once did her best to avoid math. Then she entered the classroom of a teacher who did her best not only to demystify equations, but also to inspire the young woman. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/MontanaFerrellandChrisAquinoLAA.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-11-23-lowcountrys-first-grad-they-want-you-to-own-your-success) Charter Schools ## [Lowcountry’s First Grad: ‘They Want You to Own Your Success’](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-11-23-lowcountrys-first-grad-they-want-you-to-own-your-success) November 23, 2021 | Jeffrey Good Montana Ferrell was a good student. But like many, he wrestled with math — a hurdle made even higher by the Covid pandemic and the lack of access to in-person support from teachers. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/SavannahPayne-scaled.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-10-12-savannah-payne-shes-wise-beyond-her-years) ## [Savannah Payne: ‘She’s Wise Beyond Her Years’](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-10-12-savannah-payne-shes-wise-beyond-her-years) November 18, 2021 | Jeffrey Good When Savannah Payne was just 15, a young mother recruited her to babysit her 10-day-old son. One day she dropped the baby off at Savannah’s home — and never came back. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/CCAAJoeBenedictandfam.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-7-19-joe-benedict-i-wanted-to-find-something-to-challenge-myself) ## [Joe Benedict: ‘I Wanted to Find Something to Challenge Myself’](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-7-19-joe-benedict-i-wanted-to-find-something-to-challenge-myself) November 3, 2021 | Jeffrey Good Joe Benedict had big dreams: Go to college, major in aviation and build a career as a commercial airline pilot. But first, he knew, he had to turn the corner on his flagging high school career. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Snapshotspic.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-2-26-from-our-academy-leaders-one-powerful-data-point-we-use-to-improve-student-engagement-is-tgk8s-3tll6-7f8lb-36td3-4s748-7xykf-8d74n-h3z9d) ## [Academies in Action: Gratitude for Our Young Learners](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-2-26-from-our-academy-leaders-one-powerful-data-point-we-use-to-improve-student-engagement-is-tgk8s-3tll6-7f8lb-36td3-4s748-7xykf-8d74n-h3z9d) November 2, 2021 | Jeffrey Good Each month, we take a moment to learn from the educational leaders who are bringing the Acceleration Academies mission to life, day in and day out. This month, we asked our Academy Directors to respond to this prompt: In this season of giving thanks, what qualities of your academy’s graduation... [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/BAAHannahMerritt.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-8-23-acceleration-academies-first-woman-grad-im-just-really-grateful) ## [Acceleration Academies Grad: ‘I’m Just Really Grateful’](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-8-23-acceleration-academies-first-woman-grad-im-just-really-grateful) October 28, 2021 | Jeffrey Good These days, Hannah Merritt is a 25-year-old mother of three, a nurse starting a new job in a methadone clinic, and a woman dedicating herself to being a great mom and helping people throw off the shackles of addiction. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Heaven-IndiahTyler.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-9-16-ccaa-grads-raila-mykaela-rabagoz-moving-from-disappointment-to-success) ## [CCAA Celebrates a Record 40 Grads](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/2021-9-16-ccaa-grads-raila-mykaela-rabagoz-moving-from-disappointment-to-success) September 29, 2021 | Jeffrey Good Clark County Acceleration Academies celebrated a record-breaking 40 graduates in an early fall ceremony, marking the end of a spirited journey for the young women and men and beginning the next chapter of their lives. 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