By: Kathryn Hodgins, Content and Public Relations Specialist, Florida Virtual School

Jazmin Elek fell in love with figure skating after watching the movie, “Ice Princess” when she was three years old. It didn’t take much to convince her parents to sign her up for lessons. By third grade, Jazmin was fully committed to the sport and determined to see how far she could go.

With her figure skating career at the forefront, the Elek family enrolled Jazmin in Florida Virtual Full Time Public Schools, an online school district, giving her the flexibility to chase her goals both on the ice and in the virtual classroom.

Training for success

Now, more than 10 years later,  Jazmin is still gliding toward her ice skating goals while preparing for graduation from the online school in May. Competing at the senior level, she spends two to three hours a day, five to six days a week, perfecting her routines. She’s a three-time U.S. Figure Skating gold medalist, a two-time Eastern sectional competitor, and received a Platinum Level Graduating Seniors Award from U.S. Figure Skating.

When she’s not training, she works at the skating rink, where she helps host birthday parties and coaches aspiring skaters as a certified instructor. With aspirations of becoming a skating coach in the future, Jazmin also has her own educational YouTube channel where she leverages her experiences and gives tutorials with tips and tricks on landing jumps, spinning like a pro, and mastering footwork.

“It’s really awesome to receive feedback from skaters I’ve helped when they finally nail a tough move,” she says.

Balancing education and athletics

Outside the rink, Jazmin is just as dedicated to her online school education.

“My parents immigrated to the U.S. from Hungary and have always emphasized the importance of education,” she shares. “As long as I kept up my grades, they let me choose if I wanted to continue with FLVS and online learning.”

For Jazmin, the choice was easy. “Throughout middle and high school, FLVS made so much sense for me. The flexibility is amazing. I can work ahead, take extra time on tough subjects, and balance my schoolwork around my training schedule.”

A passion for Computer Science

One of Jazmin’s biggest academic interests is Computer Science. She’s taken all three courses in the FLVS Computer Science Principles Program of Study. She even participated in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) summer camp through FLVS.

“My Computer Programming teacher, Mr. Torres is my favorite FLVS teacher,” says Jazmin. “He’s always so supportive and encouraging and made me feel like I belong in programming. It’s inspired me to look into a career in tech.”

Dreaming big: NASA and beyond

Jazmin is heading to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the fall, where she will major in Software Engineering with a minor in Communications.

She dreams of working at NASA to create software for robots and land rovers. “I want to show other girls that they belong in STEM and tech fields too,” she says.

But don’t think she’s hanging up her skates just yet!

Jazmin and another skater from her rink are already working to launch a figure skating club at Embry-Riddle. They hope to have the club approved when they begin classes there in the fall, so they can compete at the collegiate level, aiming to make it to the U.S. Collegiate Figure Skating Championships.

Leadership and achievements at FLVS

Beyond the rink and the classroom, Jazmin also took on several leadership roles at FLVS. One of her favorite memories throughout her 10 years at the online school was being selected as the National Honor Society (NHS) President and Class of 2025 Senior Class President.

“Senior year can be stressful, so we try to keep our meetings fun and light,” she says.  “We include polls and games to keep things interactive and make sure everyone is excited about all the senior year milestones.”

College grad

As she prepares to walk across the stage with the Florida Virtual High School (FVHS) Class of 2025 on May 27, Jazmin has already graduated from Polk State College with her Associate of Arts degree.

“It’s pretty wild to say I’m a college graduate before I’m a high school graduate!” she laughs.  “Florida Virtual School (FLVS) has been indispensable in helping me achieve my goals. I’d encourage anyone to consider online learning.”

Her best advice for other students is to treat online school just like you would a brick-and-mortar school. “Set an alarm every morning, wake up, have breakfast, and start your day with a plan,” she says. “Take ownership of your learning and take the time to truly understand the material.”

Looking to the future

Reflecting on her journey, Jazmin is grateful for the experiences, friendships, and opportunities FLVS has given her. From earning top academic honors to excelling in figure skating and Computer Science, she’s proof that you can achieve anything with determination and hard work.

For more information about the Florida Virtual High School graduation on May 27, check out our graduation webpage.

Congratulations Jazmin! We can’t wait to see you walk the stage and to celebrate all of your accomplishments.

About the author: Katie Hodgins brings her wealth of experience and passion to the FLVS team, assuming the Content and Public Relations Specialist role. A military veteran and lifelong learner, Katie enjoys communicating unique and innovative stories about people, places, and opportunities to inspire and engage the next generation. Having traveled throughout the world, she is excited to plant roots here in Florida and with Florida Virtual School.