SALEM — Last month Oregon Charter Academy (ORCA) honored its 2024 class of graduating students at the Oregon State Fairgrounds.
Among the 320 graduates were 17 hailing from the local region, including students from Canby, Mount Angel, Molalla and Woodburn.
Some of the area students who received diplomas included*: Amalie Lowe, Canby; Grace Peterson of Molalla — a legacy student, having attended ORCA K through 12 and participated in the school’s AVID college readiness program and received cumulative honor roll recognition; Layla Ball, also of Molalla; Johnny Ray, Mount Angel; Cezar Chavez, Elizabeth P. Shadrin and Jarexi Pena, all from Woodburn.
ORCA officials shared that the school is the state’s first online school, established nearly 20 years ago as Oregon Connections Academy. The tuition-free virtual public charter school became independent in 2020. It serves K-12 students throughout Oregon using advanced technology and customizable approaches to a standards-based curriculum.