Community : Meet Our Students
Kristin Hallerberg
Age 17
San Diego, California
Changing schools mid-way through your junior year isn't the easiest transition, and it's even harder when you're moving across the world into an entirely different school system.
Kristin Hallerberg, 17, recently settled in San Diego, Calif., with her parents and younger brothers after spending five years in Department of Defense schools in Yokosuka, Japan, while her mother served as an officer in the Navy.
"It wasn't possible to match her needs with what was available mid-year at the public school, so we enrolled her at Keystone National High School. Keystone allowed Kristin to pick up where she had left off, taking the next level of classes she had just completed."
When registering at the public school in San Diego, Kristin encountered a problem: She couldn't continue with the second halves of college-preparatory courses she had been taking because of the difference in timing in the two schools' semesters. The only option was to take electives such as P.E. and Art for the remainder of the school year.
"It wasn't possible to match her needs with what was available mid-year at the public school, so we enrolled her at Keystone National High School," said her mother, Mary Hallerberg. "Keystone allowed Kristin to pick up where she had left off, taking the next level of classes she had just completed."
Keystone, a fully accredited, independent study program serving students in all 50 states and around the world, offers at-home, self-paced study and education to more than 20,000 students each year.
So far, Kristin has taken English, Chemistry, Algebra II and American History from Keystone. "I liked chemistry best, and I'm happy I had the chance to finish it," she said. "I wouldn't have been able to complete any of those classes at the public school during my junior year."
One of her favorite things about Keystone is the coordinated curriculum it uses. "In a classroom, the teacher might be on page 325 of a text book one day and page 18 the next, and the discussion might be about topics that aren't in the book at all. With Keystone, I go through the book from front to back, and the materials and tests all line up with it. It makes a lot of sense," she said.
The Keystone instructors provide guidance to students using telephone, email, electronic bulletins boards and online chat. "I know they're there if I need them, but I haven't needed them yet," said Kristin. "Everything is so well laid out that I can do it on my own, with a little help from my parents." When she does need guidance, she turns to her dad, John Hallerberg, for history, and to her mom for math and English. For science, however, "It's my favorite -- I find no use for my parents," she said.
Working from home at her own pace is a strong benefit for Kristin, who has the language-based disability dyslexia. "Sitting in class is not the best way for me to learn," she said. "With Keystone, I can go through the material and learn it my own way, so I'm not trying to learn the same thing twice."
In public school, Kristin was allowed a little extra time when she needed it for extensive reading assignments, through the Individualized Education Program. Although her conviction to excel has served her well in overcoming the dyslexia -- no matter the school setting -- working at her own pace through Keystone is "definitely an advantage," said Mary. "Keystone is about the most individualized education you can get."
Kristin prefers studying in the evenings over the daytime and likes the option of doing so when it works best for her. If she's slow to accomplish tasks one day, she makes up for it the next. "I like that I can study when I'm feeling most focused and that there's nothing to hold me back when I want to move ahead," she said.
"I used to feel that I was bringing home the grades for my parents. Now, I'm in charge of my school work, and I'm not doing it for them—it's for me."
With Keystone's online courses, Kristin receives test scores within 72 hours of completion of a test. "I love the fast feedback on grades because I can see right away where I need to improve. They tell me where I messed up so I can work on any problem areas when I study for the final," she said.
One of the greatest advantages of enrolling at Keystone has been the lesson in personal responsibility, said Kristin. "I used to feel that I was bringing home the grades for my parents. Now, I'm in charge of my school work, and I'm not doing it for them—it's for me."
Kristin's flexible schedule allows her to spend time during the day with her brothers, Sean, 6, and Nathan, 2, and her stay-at-home dad. "The boys love to play with Kristin, and they've definitely reaped some educational benefits from having her around," said Mary.
In her spare time, Kristin also enjoys hanging out with friends in her new neighborhood and chatting online with friends she knew in Japan. She loves clothes and is taking a modeling course at a local agency. Her goals are to study some type of business in college, perhaps accounting or marketing, and ultimately to pursue a career in the fashion industry. "With her math skills and fashion sense, I think it'd be a good fit for her," said her mother.
Not only has Kristin been able to continue her path of study of collegeprep courses through Keystone, but she's also on track to graduate early. "I'm so glad we found Keystone," she said. "It's allowed me to take the classes I needed, and it's been a great way to learn."
