APRIL 2025 NATIONAL NEWS

Ready to show everyone the “reel” you? The Reel Me Competition is now open for submissions until June 30, 2025.

To enter, submit a video about your K12-powered online school experience that fits one of this year’s themes:

💻 My K12 Why: Tell us why you love online school and what motivates you to keep learning.
💭 Myth Busters: What do people get wrong about online school? Debunk it for us!
✈️ Flex Your Schedule: Show us how K12-powered learning gives you more time for the things you love.

🎓Future Focus: Got big plans after graduation? Share them with us!

Winners in each grade band will receive up to $250 in cash prizes!

Visit https://enrichment.k12.com/reel-me to learn more and submit your video!

Stay tuned for the announcement of the five finalists from the K12 National Cook-Off! Visit K12 National Cook-Off - K12 Enrichment on April 2, 2025 to find out who is competing in-person in the final culinary showdown!

Finalists will be invited to compete in-person at the Kitchen of Purpose in Arlington, VA, on June 6, 2025, for a live cook-off battle!

Meet the K12 National Cook-Off celebrity judges!

Chef Isabell Coss

Chef Adam Hoffa

Cash prizes will be awarded to the 1st place and People’s Choice winners!

Public voting takes place July 23 - July 29, during which any individual may vote up to once per day.

Learn more by visiting: K12 National Cook-Off - K12 Enrichment

The Second Round Qualifier wrapped up on March 31 for qualified teams from the First Round Qualifier.

The top 3 teams from each grade-band in the Second Round Qualifier are eligible to compete in the in-person, Final Round on June 3, 2025! Finalists will be notified via email.

Should you have any questions about the K12 Robotics League, please send an email to competitions@k12.com

For more details please visit: Robotics Competition - K12 Enrichment

The K12 National Competiton Student Winners website highlights the national winners from previous K12 competitions. Watch all of the excitement and help celebrate these incredible achievements!

Visit:Competition Winners Homepage - K12 Enrichment

Join us for a K12 Virtual Field Trip with Happy Trails Farm! Meet the rescued animals of Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary guided by Ilona Urban, Education and Outreach Advocate. Explore the trails of the sanctuary with Ilona to learn about their mission of rescuing and rehabilitating farm animals and horses in need. Each animal has a unique story that brought them to HTFAS, and they are all working towards writing their next chapters with their future adoptive families. Learn about what it takes to care for chickens, pigs, goats, sheep, horses, cows, etc., and how you can personally help the animals on their journey to adoption.

DATE/TIME: April 2 at 2 PM ET

Click here to register!

Join an aquarist as they feed the sand tiger sharks at the Ripley's Aquarium of Canada in Toronto! Learn about their ecology and have a chance to ask questions about these awesome predators in the aquarium's multi-million gallon Dangerous Lagoon tank!

DATE/TIME: April 8 at 1 PM ET

Click here to register!

Sea urchins, hermit crabs, and snails – oh my! Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Marine Academy is home to many invertebrates, which are animals that have no bones.

DATE/TIME: April 16 at 2:30 PM ET

Click here to register!

Join us for a virtual visit to the Elegius Mini Equine Sanctuary (EMES) and discover how this special rescue provides a safe haven for miniature horses, donkeys, and ponies in need. Since 2017, EMES has cared for over 120 rescued minis, many of whom were abandoned, neglected, or had special needs. Accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), EMES offers lifelong care to animals who need it most and helps others find loving new homes through adoption.

DATE/TIME: April 23 at 2 PM ET

Click here to register!

Join us for an exciting K12 Virtual Field Trip to Black Rock Farm, where students will dive into "Caring for Highland Cows 101." Guided by their knowledgeable farm staff, students will learn about the unique characteristics and needs of Highland cows, from their distinctive long horns and shaggy coats to their gentle nature. This interactive session will cover the daily care routines, feeding practices, and the importance of sustainable farming. Students will also get a glimpse into the life on the farm and discover how they can contribute to animal welfare and sustainable agriculture. Get ready for an educational journey that brings the farm experience right to your screen!

DATE/TIME: April 30 at 3 PM ET

Click here to register!

Want more from the K12 Virtual Field Trips? Check out the K12 Virtual Field Trips Newsletter to watch past virtual field trips, learn about upcoming virtual field trips, and sign-up for future ones!

Virtual Field Trips | Smore Newsletters or visit Virtual Field Trips - K12 Enrichment

Public voting for Room to Read opens on April 3 - April 17. Cast your vote for your favorite Minecraft build in the K12 Minecraft Challenge: Room to Read!

K12-powered students in grades K-12 submitted Minecraft builds about reading or book-related builds celebrating National Reading Month!

Any individual is eligible to vote up to once per day during the voting period. One winner per grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12) will receive a $25 Amazon e-gift card for their winning build!

Don't miss this exciting opportunity to vote for YOUR favorite build. Vote today!

Visit K12 Room to Read Minecraft Challenge to vote!

For Kindergarten–12th Grade Students in a K12-powered school.

Want your Minecraft build to become part of the K12 Zone? Here’s your chance to unleash your creativity! Design a unique structure in Minecraft Education, and your creation could be featured in the K12 National Zones! 🧱✨

How to Join the Challenge:

✅Design a creative Minecraft structure that fits the vibe of the K12 Zone.

✅Take a screenshot of your final build.

✅Submit your entry for a chance to be featured in the K12 Zone!

🏆Winning Builds Get Featured in the K12 Zone!

• Your Minecraft design could be added to the K12 National Zones!
• Winners will be recognized in the K12 community.

📅 Challenge Runs: April 1 - April 25

📜 Ready to build? Sign in to Minecraft Education using your K12 credentials and get started today!

🔗Enter the challenge here: K12 Zone April Minecraft Challenge

The world of esports and gaming is more than just fun—it's a thriving industry full of unique opportunities. This webinar will introduce you to the exciting college and career opportunities waiting for you in the esports and gaming world. Learn how your favorite games—Fortnite, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. can be stepping stones to professional success. Open to all K12-powered students.

Date: April 9, 2025

Time: 4 PM ET

Click here to register!

Do you love being on camera, have a flair for social media, and bring main character energy to your passion projects? We want to hear from you!

K12 is now seeking applicants to serve as the first-ever Chief Student Officer—a part-time, paid position for a high school student aged 14–18 currently enrolled in a K12-powered school. If you have big ideas and want them to be heard, don’t shy away from this chance! A $5K bonus will be awarded upon successful completion of the appointed CSO term. Application must be submitted by April 15, 2025. Apply today!

Want to fight for justice, keep communities safe, or explore the legal system? In the final episode of our Career Exploration Series, we’re diving into law, criminal justice, and public safety.

Hear from professionals and young leaders on what it takes to break into these careers and make a real impact.

Date: April 11

Time: 3PM EDT

Register Now: https://bit.ly/theconfidentteen

Law and public safety careers are all about making a difference—protecting communities, upholding justice, and ensuring safety in critical moments. In this episode, we’re diving into the world of law enforcement, criminal justice, and emergency response to explore what it takes to succeed in these impactful careers.

• Discover pathways in criminal justice, emergency response, law enforcement, and legal professions.
• Get Behind-the-Scenes Insights: Get a firsthand look at these high-stakes fields' challenges, responsibilities, and real-world impact.
• Hear professionals and young leaders sharing their journeys, insights, and tips for making a difference.

Our beloved story submission tool, Project Elevate, has a new name and a fresh look! Building on the success of the K12 Voices 25th Anniversary campaign, this rebrand reflects our commitment to capturing and amplifying the incredible stories of our students, families, and educators. The new K12 Voices landing page is now live, with an updated look and feel to match our bold vision for storytelling.

What This Means for You

Keep an eye out for inspiring student and educator stories and submit them to K12 Voices! Your stories bring our mission to life and help shine a light on the real impact of online learning.

Visit the new K12 Voices page today! 👉 K12 Voices

We are excited to announce the Learning Coach Community is now open! The Learning Coach Community is a one-stop-shop online community available to ALL K12 Learning Coaches. In the community, LC's can receive support (either as a returning or first-time LC's), access resources for students, find tips and tools for online school, and more. Ready to connect with other families learning from home?

Go to community.k12.com to get started!

We have K12 Student Engagement channels on the platforms below. We share about student engagement opportunities, as well as showcase student talent and elevate students to feel seen and hear! Follow us today!

We are so excited to announce we have a Stride K12 Student Engagement Instagram Channel! You can find us @k12.student

This channel is meant to share about student engagement opportunities, as well as showcase student talent and elevate student voices to feel seen and heard! This channel is for our students to follow and connect with one another, as well as see what fun things we have happening!

You can also follow us on Threads! Our Threads account is a light-hearted channel sharing positive messages, joke, and K12 national competitions and K12 Virtual Field Trips. You can us find at k12.student. Follow us today!

Follow us on Facebook! The K12 Student Engagement Facebook page highlights exciting competitions, challenges, and national student winners. You can also watch live-streams of winner reveals and K12 Virtual Field Trips. You can find us at K12 Student Engagement. Follow us today!

K12 is partnering with the American Public University (APU), a higher education institution that provides affordable, high-quality, workforce-relevant, online education, to offer all K12-powered school graduates a 10% off tuition grant - bringing the cost to just $315 per credit hour for undergraduates on over 200 online degree and certificate programs.

APU delivers flexible, affordable education with monthly start dates to connect you to your future faster and provide the skills you need to go further.

• $0 cost textbooks/ebooks for undergraduate classes
• $0 application fee
• No entrance exams

Students can request more information from APU at https://apupartners.com/stride

Wondering when your course materials and hardware will arrive? Look no further! You can find your school’s shipping timeline by following these steps:

1. Visit the School Shipping Timeline Directory: Head over to the School Shipping Timeline Directory to locate your school’s specific shipping schedule.
2. Search by State: Use the directory to search by state. Find your state, and you’ll see a list of schools along with estimated delivery deadlines for course materials and hardware.
3. Track Shipping Status: If you’ve already confirmed your enrollment status, click on the link provided in the directory to track the shipping status of your materials and computer equipment.

Remember that if your school isn’t listed in the directory, allow approximately 7-10 business days after courses have been assigned for your order shipments to arrive.

If you need help with the Online School, Materials, or need to troubleshoot a technical problem, try out the new AI Assistant on help.k12.com! The AI Assistant can help you by popping relevant articles and videos to answer your questions and fix common issues.

Did you know you can text a live Customer Support agent for help with questions about Materials and replacements? Text your Student ID to 800-255-2020 Text Messages may vary. Data rates may apply. Click here if you need help looking up your Student ID