My NorthStar Experience

By Jonah S.

For me, NorthStar has been an essential part of my schooling experience. I live overseas and travel a lot. Sometimes I need to be flexible when I do school. NorthStar enables me to work anywhere at any time in basically any place I need. As a result, I can be very efficient in how I do my work, while also being flexible so that I can prioritize other things in my life that are important.


NorthStar also has enabled me to go at my own pace. I am a very self-driven person. I am really good at planning and structuring my schedule. In this instance, my courses at NorthStar are very tailored towards me. Even if some days I am not able to do all my courses, I can still make it up in the future. I can also work ahead in order to fit my needs. The flexibility has been a lifesaver


The variety of courses has also been great. When planning for my future, I was kind of overwhelmed with the number of courses that I could take. There were so many courses and the options really made me think about what I want to be when I grow up. It is not just the variety of the courses but also the level of difficulty. There are many options for honors courses as well as college-level courses. This allows me to really pursue my interests at the intensity that I want to.


On top of the actual courses, there are a great number of ways I can interact with other students. Teams has been a great way to get involved with others and be engaged in the community. NSA Connects and other events are great ways to meet other students.


I joined the NorthStar Navigator at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. Originally, I was very hesitant to join the Navigator. I have always enjoyed writing and language arts. However, it was not until the Navigator supervisor, April Meyer, asked me to join the paper, that I finally decided to come aboard. I am so grateful that I decided to become part of the Navigator, because it is such a blast. I not only enjoy writing articles, but I also enjoy collaborating with my fellow students, helping to edit their articles, and giving suggestions on how to make each rough draft the best it can be.


In conclusion, NorthStar has been a huge blessing in my life. I feel it has given me so many opportunities to learn and grow. People can severely underestimate how much an online setting can give such a unique learning experience. I am so grateful for NorthStar!



Jonah S. has been at Northstar Academy for the past two years. He lives in the Middle-East with his younger brother and parents. Some of the things he enjoys includes reading, writing, playing video games, watching movies, and building legos. He also enjoys music, viola being his primary instrument.