As a proud Florida Virtual School student, I felt honored to be able to interview the CEO of FLVS, Julie Young.  Ms. Young is the type of person who wakes up every morning and can’t wait to go to work. “Everyday when I get up, I feel great knowing that I make a difference in what I do for students.” That in itself makes me feel as proud as I do to be a FLVS student.  

What sparked the idea for FLVS?

Before I was hired, a grant was written for a web school. It was a two-page concept to implement the idea. However, my idea was to reinvent school to have children love school, have them work on their terms, and have parents be involved. There were actually two web schools created in Florida; one in Orlando and one in Alachua County. Orlando took the offer. And that’s how Florida Virtual School got started.

Describe a typical day for you at the office.

To be completely honest, there is no typical day for me. But I can tell you what can occur in one day. I wake up and answer emails and calls before going into the office at 9 a.m. Then at the office, my day will be packed with meetings. In these meetings, we’ll talk about internal school issues, marketing, and legislation. Then, conference calls will be set up. Fifty percent of my time is spent traveling though. Finally, I will go home around 6:30pm, but the work doesn’t stop there. It’s very rare that I am physically in the office, because of the traveling that I have to do. And the day starts all over again tomorrow.

Do you plan on expanding in the near future?

Every year, FLVS expands. There is actually a major demand for us right now. I think the biggest expansion will be having the traditional school teachers working with FLVS. There will be a blend for a learning model because online learning isn’t going to be just an option in the future. Teachers are going to have to learn the tools and strategies needed for this transition.  

Would you ever consider having state testing within FLVS?

There are two reasons why we do not offer state testing. Most students are not full time with us and it would be virtually impossible. However, I would never say it couldn’t happen. If the state designed a test for FLVS, we would definitely use it. So, yes we would consider having state testing.

According to statistics, do students at FLVS generally perform better than in a traditional school?

Based on recent studies (TaxWatch of Florida), students made higher grades on state testing with FLVS versus a traditional school. We are more cost effective when it comes to the statistics. So, overall, students most definitely perform better.

What college did you attend? What was your major?

I attended the University of Kentucky and majored in Elementary Education. I also attended the University of South Florida.

What was your occupation before working at FLVS?

I was always in the school system. I taught grades second through eighth. I then became a curriculum and tech specialist. I also spent two years at IBM training elementary school teachers in Fort Myers to correlate technology into their curriculum.

Do you have any children? If so, how many?

I have two wonderful and successful boys. My youngest is 19 and he attends UCF. He is on the basketball team and he is majoring in Business. My oldest is 23 and he is a senior at UCF. I am so proud of my boys and their accomplishments.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Most of my spare time is spent in a basketball gym watching my son play. But besides that, we have a vacation home in South Florida, so I like to go there. I also enjoy playing golf and just being outdoors. I really want to get back into waterskiing. The last time I went I was 9.

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is knowing that I really do make a difference. I get up and feel absolutely wonderful having that feeling of accomplishment. I have helped many students through Florida Virtual School and that is very self-rewarding.

If there were one or two words to describe FLVS, what would they be?

Hmmm, words to describe FLVS. I would have to say: Students, Innovative, and Relationships. Florida Virtual School is all the about the students. FLVS is innovative in the way that it changes how the students view school. And the relationships are the ones between the student and the teacher. That is the key goal for us--having that special bond and connection.

Ms. Julie Young is quite remarkable on both a professional and personal level. She exhibits great pride for Florida Virtual School and her students.  Julie Young, CEO of Florida Virtual School, has made online learning possible for many students throughout Florida and beyond.