Gayeon Lee traveled over 6,000 miles from South Korea to attend her high school graduation ceremony. As a Mizzou Academy student, Lee has completed her coursework online through the University of Missouri High School. During her studies, she received the Global Challenger Scholarship for academic excellence. She is already attending Busan University of Foreign Studies with plans to complete majors in Marketing and Chinese.

“Like Gayeon, it is not uncommon for our gifted and advanced students to accelerate their studies,” says Executive Director, Dr. Kathryn Fishman-Weaver. “Some pursue early high school graduation or take college courses concurrently with their high school studies.” 

The twelve student representatives who journeyed to Columbia to celebrate graduation at the historic Missouri Theatre included Rosalynn Le, Delanie Bestgen, Gracie Pereff, Anthony Starck, Jax Gott, Ledger Davey, Alana Lindsey, Tayler Helchowski , Heidi Adams, Justice Beeman-Volscho, Kennedy Lenoir, and Gayeon Lee.  These students traveled from across the United States–and in Lee’s case, from across the globe–to join us for this special ceremony. Throughout the month of June, similar commencement ceremonies take place at Mizzou Academy international partner schools, including those in China, Vietnam, and Honduras. 

The University of Missouri High School’s 2024 class includes graduates from Brazil, China, Germany, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, and Vietnam.  This year, 550 students will earn their University of Missouri High School diplomas from Mizzou Academy.

Paying Attention to the Lessons Around Us

At the commencement, speakers reflected on the past 25 years of school history; our roots as the University of Missouri’s lab school; and the role of technology, such as artificial intelligence, in shaping the next twenty years of learning. 

Instructional Specialist Marilyn Toalson gave the honored keynote address. She surprised us all by tossing beach balls into the crowd and encouraging the graduates  to bat them around while she spoke. Although several teachers and family members leaned forward, ready to pounce, the graduates were so respectful that they let the beach balls rest quietly on the floor. After the ceremony, however, graduates and faculty gathered the beach balls and brought them along on a short walk to the MU campus for some playful post-ceremony photos.

Stephanie Walter, our Director of Teaching and Learning, reflected that “This scenario is such a great picture of who Marilyn is. She is authentic and enthusiastic, and she has a sense of adventure that infuses us. She tosses out fun ideas and encourages us to move outside our comfort zones. Then, she goes about the beautiful business of teaching while we warm up to new ideas and eventually try some things on our own. Marilyn is a gifted educator who puts students right at the center of every interaction, and I’m grateful to teach with and learn from her at Mizzou Academy.” 

The 2024 graduating class has dedicated themselves to learning in and beyond the classroom. The class average cumulative GPA is 3.07. Together, this group of students have taken over 53 Advanced Placement Courses. Ninety-two graduates in this class are members of our National Honor Society. These students have engaged in important service and volunteer work in both their local communities and in the global community we share.

In her commencement remarks, Dr. Fishman-Weaver honored these achievements and encouraged the students to continue to be open to learning. “Graduates, this work you have done adds up to something,” she said. “In fact, for those of us in this room, you and your peers add up to everything. As you embark on this next chapter of your life, remember that our communities are a classroom. Our conversations are a classroom. Service to others is a classroom.” She continued, “Often the most important lessons we learn aren’t from our classes or curriculum. Sometimes the most important lessons we learn are from people we didn’t even realize were our teachers, from experiences that felt like challenges at best and disasters at worst, and from paying attention to the beauty and truth that is all around us. “

A Legacy of Impact 

During the ceremony, we also celebrated 25 years of our University of Missouri High School Program and the over 6,000 high school graduates who have called Mizzou Academy home. 

We also had the delight of recognizing two of our founding faculty members. Alicia Bixby and Karen Scales were instrumental in bringing the dream of this online high school to reality. 

In reflecting on this milestone, Ms. Scales recalls that the inspiration for creating a diploma program back then is the same inspiration that drives Mizzou Academy today: our students. “We were seeing athletes working around intensive training calendars; global adventurers who needed remote access and flexible schedules; empowered, independent learners navigating life’s challenges and seeking choice and accessibility; and countless others–each student with their own personal reasons for charting an educational path less traveled,” she shared. “These scholars were seeking more than a single course credit here and there. They deserved to earn a diploma that signified their level of achievement and to have a more complete and unified school community. Twenty-five years later, it still inspires me to see this dream being realized with each graduating class. It has been such an honor to share in this part of their journey.”

Since 1999,  Ms. Scales and Ms. Bixby have worked with every University of Missouri High School graduating class. Fishman-Weaver says, “When I think about their legacy, their commitment to excellence, their love of student learning, and the tremendous impact they have had over the past three decades, I am deeply inspired.” 

Enthusiasm and Play

To close the ceremony, faculty and families sent the graduates forth with a rousing “MIZ-ZOU!” as they tossed their caps high in the air.  In her team newsletter, Fishman-Weaver joked that a week later, “it is possible that the walls of the Missouri Theatre are still vibrating from the cheering.” 

Our graduates, their proud families, Truman the Tiger, and several faculty members then paraded through downtown and campus for a quick photoshoot and what might just be a new school tradition—beach ball volleyball. With the formalities behind us, the group was ready for some play. By this point in the afternoon, they had also become good friends. Karen Scales served a beach ball high into the air, and Anthony Starck quickly returned it. Soon he and Kathryn Fishman-Weaver teamed up against the rest of the group, just as Truman the Tiger introduced a second beach ball to the game. 

As Dr. Fishman-Weaver noted during the ceremony, “Appreciation matters. Community matters.” And as this playful close to the day reminds us, joy matters, too. From smiling selfies to tearful embraces and an M-I-Z chant heard from blocks away, this was a historic celebration marked by resounding joy.

Congratulations, Class of 2024! 

All photos by Rebecca Allen Photography