I recently visited the Fort Davis area, and if you find yourself in West Texas, you must visit at least one of the attractions listed below. Almost EVERYTHING is worth the time you take to get there.

I went to Big Bend, specifically to the Chisos Basin, which is at the top of the list because of the amazing view. Balmorhea State Park (1)  cannot go unmentioned either – a natural spring with LIVE FISH in it, swimming with you! Once you get in and get over the cold and the little fishes swarming you, it’s pretty fun as long as you can swim. The McDonald Observatory – if you’re one of the lucky children on the guided tour, you might have the opportunity to hold the remote and move some of their equipment! If not, the telescopes are still really interesting. Then, the La Cueva De Oso (2) restaurant in Balmorhea (1), TX – Serves some of the best Mexican food I have ever tasted! At least try the Chalupas, and if you want to be a little daring, the enchiladas with eggs on top. Doing all of these things, you will almost certainly have a good time.

But some particular parts of that trip would not have been possible if I had not worked ahead in my classes so that I had no school during our vacation period. That’s one of the options our students get that is not available to people attending Brick-and-Mortar K-12. I asked some students questions about this, and here are a few responses: 

Kariana Karhu says, “I usually work ahead so that in a week when I’m busy, or I’m just not really in the mood to work (because let’s be honest, we all have that off day, XD) I only have one or two lessons left, and it’s just really nice. Working ahead is a very clever way to clear up schedules on busy week days”. When I asked how often, Eashaan Patel said he only works ahead sometimes, and when I asked why he works ahead, he said, “then I’m done and can focus on other things :).” And Brooke Bolinger stated that she likes this system better than the planned schedules of B&M.

You can also work ahead to do other things. For example, S.R. says that she works ahead “In case there is a family emergency, and I can’t bring my laptop or phone or iPad, then I try to work ahead. If there is a lot of work for that week though, I don’t work ahead”, and does so “every 2-3 weeks”.  You could do like me and Orion, which is working ahead for vacation. And you could also work ahead like Brooke, who does so to have more time for her extracurricular activity.

But not everyone likes to work ahead. Some, like A.V., like to be ahead but don’t like the work involved in getting there. D.K. says, “I don’t dislike the idea of working ahead, but I have trouble getting my assignments done on time, and I have never been ahead. I don’t really understand how people get ahead by so much, sometimes even 2 weeks. I go to live lessons, and I pay attention, and I work about 7 hours a day.” So other people are wondering how you would get ahead as much as it is said you can. Personally, I agree with D.K. in the sense that every time I look at when people submitted the assignment before me, I go whaaaaat? at all the submissions from a month ago for an assignment slated for the day I submitted.

Regardless, it’s obvious that this uncommon tool used by our school helps students accomplish their goals. Students can work ahead to have free time, to be able to skip a little school on vacation, and just feel on top of things. Another reason we are the top virtual school in Texas.