Student Spotlight: Exploring New Interests and Career Paths

Artem B., a grade 12 student at LEAF Academy, took the GOA Cybersecurity course over the summer and is now taking the Introduction to Branding and Marketing course. With a curiosity for these subjects and a goal of identifying potential college majors, Artem turned to GOA.

Through his GOA courses, Artem discovered a genuine interest for marketing. He found the branding and marketing course particularly engaging, as it offered hands-on learning experiences relevant to his personal projects. "Each day in the marketing course, I have thought, wow, that is really interesting. Generally, the course is amazing, and I learned a lot of things," he shared.

Artem valued the chance to collaborate with peers from diverse countries during his GOA courses. These interactions allowed him to understand how culture, opinions, and values can influence brand perception worldwide. ”[It is] nice to have some projects with people from different countries,” he shared.

Artem recommends GOA courses for their structured learning environment and opportunities to delve into new subjects. Regarding summer courses, he mentioned, "It is really nice if you have time over the summer to take a course. After these few weeks, you will definitely know a lot more than you did before. [They are] also an amazing opportunity if a student wants to learn something new and not have a full course load burden."

GOA courses offered Artem an invaluable chance to explore his interests and consider potential career paths. His experiences with the Cybersecurity and Introduction to Branding and Marketing courses helped him unearth an interest in marketing, refining his understanding of the field. “I think the GOA course gave me the certainty of what I want to study in university," he reflected.

LEAF Academy, an international boarding high school serving over 110 students aged 14-19 in Bratislava, Slovakia, joined the GOA consortium in 2017.

For more, see:

• Why Competency-Based Learning?: A Primer on CBL for Families

• Student Spotlight: Preparing Students for College and Career

• Student Spotlight: How Students Gain Transferable Skills Through Exploring Their Interests

This post is part of our Student Spotlight series, where we feature stories from students who take GOA courses. Are you a current or former GOA student who would like to be interviewed for a Student Spotlight article? Or, are you an educator who has a recommendation for a student for us to feature? Email us at hello@globalonlineacademy.org with the subject title “Student Spotlight.”

GOA serves students, teachers, and leaders and is comprised of member schools from around the world, including independent, international, charter, and public schools. Learn more about Becoming a Member. Our professional learning opportunities are open to any educator or school team. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. To stay up to date on GOA learning opportunities, sign up for our newsletter.