Community : Meet Our Students
Michelle Schonzeit
Age 22
Crater Lake, Oregon
During Michelle Schonzeit's high school years, she was on the ski patrol, served as training officer for a search and rescue team, played the French horn in three orchestras and a community marching band, formed a brass quintet and ran an organization that provided volunteer services for her community.
"I was involved in activities I never would have been able to do if I had been attending a regular high school," said Michelle, originally from Plattsburgh, N.Y. "Some people imagine that homeschooling isolates one from the community, but my experience was quite the opposite."
"I was involved in activities I never would have been able to do if I had been attending a regular high school," said Michelle. "Some people imagine that homeschooling isolates one from the community, but my experience was quite the opposite."
While she participated in these activities, she was also serious about her studies, earning top grades at Keystone National High School. 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.
"Keystone gave me everything I needed to excel in college," she said. "Without this head start academically, I doubt I would be in my current situation."
Michelle recently graduated magna cum laude from Plattsburgh State University in New York with a bachelor's degree in environmental science and a 3.83 grade point average, ranking in the top ten students of her class. Her credentials led to a job with the National Park Service as a law enforcement ranger at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. "While I was in high school, I discovered what I really loved and wanted to do because I had the time to pursue my interests," she said.
Michelle had primarily attended public school through middle school but found the pace was sometimes "stifling" and took too much of her day. She began her freshman year with Keystone and never regretted her decision. "I could spend time on subjects I wanted to learn more about and could move quickly through subjects I already knew," she said. "The curriculum was flexible and comprehensive."
Keystone instructors provide guidance to students using telephone, email, online bulletin boards and online chat. "The teachers were fabulous," said Michelle. "When I would call or email with questions, they would respond almost instantly with clear, thorough answers."
Michelle gained skills in time management that she said helped her immensely in college. "By working at your own pace, you very quickly see the consequences of neglecting your studies," she said. She credits her ability to carry a vigorous course load in college to the skills she learned through Keystone.
The transition from Keystone to college was "outstanding," she said. "Keystone courses prepared me well, the admissions staff (at Plattsburgh) was excited about my education and I was offered significant scholarship money," she said. "Between the time management skills I learned and Keystone's excellent academic background, I found it easy to excel in college."
"I am excited and fortunate to be starting a career in an extremely competitive field," Michelle said. "Keystone gave me the foundation, and I am living my dream."
While she was a Keystone student, Michelle was able to accommodate her many community activities because her schedule was "fluid and flexible." She could attend morning meetings or participate in mountain rescues and then study later in the day.
Because her hours were her own, Michelle found time to create and run a program that matched teen volunteers and court-sentenced youth with community projects. The idea was sparked after she had volunteered in a county youth court program, working with juvenile offenders. Michelle's program, called "Adirondack Youth in Action," contributed 2,000 hours to the community. "I gained real life experience, dealing with adults and participating in community meetings," she said.
Michelle's early start in community activities made her "by far" the youngest member of a local alpine ski patrol and search and rescue team. "I became one of the most experienced members at a very young age," she said. Her passion for snow, mountains and helping people endured throughout her college years, when she continued to work with and hold leadership positions in the Whiteface Mountain Ski Patrol and Search and Rescue of the Northern Adirondacks.
Michelle's education and experiences led to two highly competitive internships with the National Park Service, one in Yosemite National Park in California and the other in Olympic National Park in Washington, as well as a summer job at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
After expanding on her experience in her new job at Crater Lake, Michelle plans to pursue a master's degree in parks and land management, which she hopes will lead to a management position with the National Park Service. Her long-term goal involves working in risk mitigation for the National Park Service.
"I am excited and fortunate to be starting a career in an extremely competitive field," she said. "Keystone gave me the foundation, and I am living my dream."
