VLACS Marine Biology ELO

The Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS) empowers students to pursue extended learning opportunities that support their career exploration. For full-time VLACS student Cooper Sanborn, experiential learning was the perfect way to explore his career of interest head-on. Sanborn has been intrigued by Marine Biology ever since he could remember. So, he worked with his VLACS instructor to design an experience that would allow him to meet the biology competencies through an experience that included interacting with a Marine Biologist mentor virtually to consult on a deliverable that would demonstrate understanding of each competency as well as questioning the mentor about this career path. To meet academic competencies, Sanborn applied his passion for art into visual deliverables that depict the journey towards becoming a Marine Biologist. Having access to over 300+ professionals to choose from allowed Cooper to have access to professionals virtually that he otherwise wouldn’t have access to in her local area.

“It has been an awesome experience. It allowed me to practice asking questions, listening, and building a connection which is very valuable in really any career. It is amazing to learn from someone who has the experience and knows what goes into it,” Sanborn said.

After high school, Sanborn plans to attend college to study Marine Biology to pursue a career that allows him to work with marine life, make a change in ocean conservation, and use his art to show the beauty of marine life and its importance in the world.