Tell Us What You Really Think: The MVA Community Shares What they Love in their Own Words
Last week, we highlighted the recent MVA Middle East kickoff event in Dubai, where families in the area both returning and new joined staff and faculty for an afternoon of activities, games, and warm welcomes.
At that event, several students and parents spoke to the team about their experiences at MVA, and what the online school means to them, and how it has changed their lives for the better.
This week, we thought we'd delve a little deeper into these stories, and what these valued Minervans had to say about the fastest growing school in the UK.
The Athletes
Ryan and Neave are two of our quintessential elite young athletes, whose thriving sporting careers quickly became incompatible with a rigid traditional school system.
Frequent global travel, long competitions, and rigorous training threatened to make them choose between academic success and pursuing their sporting dreams.
Thankfully, both, and hundreds like them, found MVA.
Ryan in particular, a karter across Europe and the Middle East, has taken full advantage of MVA's flexible model, electing to take some of his GCSEs a year early and spread them out over a longer period, taking off some of the stress and pressure of exam season.
This was to fantastic effect, achieving top results and exceeding predictions, all whilst juggling a thriving racing career.
Ryan has proved that time and time again that it is possible to achieve top results, whilst karting around the world.
- Sol Rolls-Tyson, Business Development Manager - Athletes & Performers, MVA
The flexibility sentiment was echoed by Neave, who recalled her time at her previous mainstream school where she not only struggled to keep up with school when she had to travel, but also felt left behind and unsupported.
Today, she's able to fully commit to her international skiing career without a worry, because her studies and lessons are all recorded, organised, and waiting for her, even if she has to miss the Live Lesson.
Neave also praised the support of her mentor, who she says has helped her in both her academics and her sport.
Working Happier, Not Harder
Annie joined CEO Hugh Viney on stage at the event to share her story, telling us how she struggled at her demanding previous school environment.
Since joining MVA, however, she has seen her passion for performing arts flourish, and has actually added extra classes to her schedule now that she's thriving and happy.
Annie is a classic example of a student that many physical schools would, and do, dismiss. But, as she has proven, students like Annie are more than capable of roaring academic success when the right environment and support is there.
The issue is not with the student. It is with the unwillingness to listen to that student.
Harper, too, echoed this, saying that she used to stress about going to school but now has no worries. Harper was also joined by her mum, Lisa, who spoke about how much MVA has made home life more free, flexible, and relaxed.
Cerise, a singer and songwriter, is also a student who spoke of her newfound ability to embrace and pursue her passions, after bullying and lacking support at her previous school left her unhappy.
She is now enrolled in a music academy to support her songwriting skills which, judging by her performance on stage to the more than 200 attendees at the event, are soaring along with her confidence.
This, in a snapshot, is what the transformational power of MVA can be.
Students who have so much potential, so much passion, and so much to give, empowered to achieve that potential when needless obstacles are removed.
A massive congratulations to all our MVA success stories who spoke to the team at the event, including many others not directly quoted here. If you'd like to keep up with all the full interviews coming out of the event, as well as the day-to-day goings on at Minerva, be sure to follow us on our other socials 👇
