--- title: Blog - Acceleration Academies | Student Stories (6) description: Student Stories | Stories and insights from Acceleration Acedmies (6) --- [![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/) - 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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/LCAA-Alexiann-Edwards.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/lcaa-alexiann-edwards) Student Stories ## [Alexiann Edwards: ‘A Big Change, a Welcome Change’](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/lcaa-alexiann-edwards) January 2, 2024 | Jeffrey Good When Alexiann Edwards moved to Florida from her native Jamaica early in 2023, she wanted to complete her high school career at a different kind of school. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/GCAA-Shamyiah-Lewis-Hashima.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/shamyiah-lewis-gcaa) Meet Our Graduates ## [Shamyiah Lewis: ‘They Just Really Want You to Succeed’](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/shamyiah-lewis-gcaa) December 14, 2023 | Jeffrey Good Shamyiah Lewis is a strong student, but moving to a new city at the beginning of her senior year nearly derailed her plans to earn a high diploma and go on to study filmmaking in college. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/EAA-Siblings.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/siblings-find-success-eaa) Meet Our Graduates ## [Siblings Find Success at EAA](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/siblings-find-success-eaa) December 11, 2023 | Jeffrey Good Jennifer, Valerie and Dominic Amador are three siblings from a close-knit Texas family. When the trio decided they needed a different kind of high school, they took care of themselves and each other in the way they always do — together. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/CCAA-Grad-Michael-Demara-Portrait.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/ccaa-grad-michael-demara) Meet Our Graduates ## [CCAA Grad Michael Demara: Putting Family First](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/ccaa-grad-michael-demara) December 7, 2023 | Jeffrey Good For Michael Demara, family comes first. When his family moved from a small, overcrowded apartment into a more spacious home after his junior year, it brought a welcome change to their lives. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/BAA-Graduation-November-2023.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/bethel-grads-celebrated-for-their-grit) Graduations ## [Bethel Grads Celebrated for Their Grit](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/bethel-grads-celebrated-for-their-grit) December 4, 2023 | Jeffrey Good The latest crop of graduates from Bethel Acceleration Academies in Spanaway, WA, recently strode across the stage and celebrated the diplomas they worked so hard to earn. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/ECAA-Grad-Kendall-Mast-.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/ecaa-grad-kendall-mast) Meet Our Graduates ## [ECAA Grad Kendall Mast: ‘Having Hope is a Really Big Thing’](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/ecaa-grad-kendall-mast) November 30, 2023 | Jeffrey Good Kendall Mast had never felt at home in the hurly burly of traditional high school. Throw in a series of family moves and the challenge of finding a stable school environment became that much steeper. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/WAA-Grad-Diago-Harris.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/grad-diago-harris) Meet Our Graduates ## [Diago Harris:  ‘They Understand You Have a Life Outside of School’](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/grad-diago-harris) November 28, 2023 | Jeffrey Good Diago Harris ran with a rough crowd and, before long, lost interest in school. He dropped out, landed a job in construction and, for a time, felt like his life was on a positive trajectory. [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/MCAA-Bryce-Dittman.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/bryce-dittman-mcaa) Student Stories ## [Bryce Dittman: Finding the Quiet He Needs to Succeed](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/bryce-dittman-mcaa) November 10, 2023 | Jeffrey Good For Bryce Dittman, a traditional high school with its bustling classrooms and hectic hallways proved an exercise in distraction. “It was a draining environment,” he says. “I couldn’t really learn.” [![](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/hubfs/BAA-Pedro-Suazo.jpg)](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/bethel-grad-pedro-suazo) Meet Our Graduates ## [Bethel Grad Pedro Suazo: ‘The Teachers Told Me Not to Give Up’](https://info.accelerationacademies.org/blog/bethel-grad-pedro-suazo) November 8, 2023 | Jeffrey Good Pedro Suazo is 20. It wasn’t so long ago that he thought he’d never walk across the stage to receive his high school diploma. The seemingly mile-high obstacle in his way — geometry. 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