We’re so proud to be making OC Online history! One of our very own OC Online high school graduates is now a TEACHER! We are so excited to share her story. Track her journey below as she describes her transition from student, to alumni, to OC Online teacher.
[2011-2015] Life as an OC Online Student
In the early days of OC Online, classes were tiny, so the personal connections with my classmates helped build a strong community where we felt comfortable working on group projects and teaming up to study or just chat/video call regularly, even outside of school.
When I look back, my favorite memories include:
- figuring out our academic strengths
- my classmates and I who shared classes would help each other study for the classes that weren’t our best
- teachers never gave up on me even when at times my priorities were squirrely, and my pacing needed fixing
[2015] Graduation
High school graduation was awesome because I got to fly
out to Cali for the first time and visit the physical campus, meeting a lot of my people in person. Something that surprises me is how well it all worked. We were often told our graduating class were the “guinea pigs,” both for dealing with the sketchy reception of Skype back in those days and for being new, but truthfully the school was awesome even back then. Cliché as it may sound, high school was very foundational for me. I experienced community, faith, and even rigorous classes that I tell everyone made my first half of college a piece of cake.
[2016-2023] Post Graduation
After high school I immediately started college, playing 
soccer and majoring in English. I ended up moving all over, transferring schools, changing majors to Business/Communications, and choosing academics over athletics for the last bit of undergrad.
Afterwards I worked in my field of Communications and enjoyed it but realized it was not my calling; rather, teaching was it.
Accepting the Call to Teach
I had been teaching students in one way or another since
7th grade, but for some whacky, who-knows-why reason I had always been adamant, “I might not know what I want to do, but I do not want to be a teacher!!” Ah, God’s sense of humor regarding ridiculously stubborn me… So opportunities came to coach HS and MS soccer, track and field, and cross country, as well as to do some teaching.
It was amazing. I loved it. I got into it with hesitancy, but almost immediately the lightbulb came on and I said, “I finally get it. This is my calling.” Cue relief and ecstasy. Thus, how I came into teaching.
Teaching and Living
Eventually I married my husband (Ethan, my childhood friend since first grade), moved to California from Texas, went to grad school for English Education, joined the military world (he’s Air Force), got a dog (Ace), and now we have a baby girl, Willow!
When I am not working, I primarily spend time with my husband and daughter. We are into playing, watching K-dramas, studying languages, cooking, shooting, fighting, lifting weights, doing art, going to Bible study… all kinds of activities.
[2024] Becoming OC Online Faculty!
I started teaching at OC Online Fall of 2024. It came 
about upon reconnecting with Sam—whom it took an effort to switch from calling Mrs. Farinacci, my own Bible teacher and Spiritual Life Director—after years gone by.
To be part of something that shaped who I became in such a fundamental way, through the people back then, to work with a new generation of students now, a couple teachers of mine who are still here—it’s the dream, really. Many of my OC Online teachers shaped my teaching philosophy, even prior to joining the faculty, so now I am able to put experience and practice together where it first was forged. It is different now, however, because the students are my students, and the faculty are my peers, so it feels surreal at times. (And because, ‘back in my day’, lol, the OC Online school colors were blue and gold.)
I teach English, which is my first [academic] love. The 
balance of faith-integrated coursework has always been a unique hype about this school and having found it to be true back as a student, it’s an honor to be a part of its reality now.
The atmosphere feels the same, in terms of “this is OC Online:”
- College prep and biblical worldview.
- Caring teachers and community even online.
- Giving students a jump on time management.
It’s nostalgic and warm, especially in communicating with faculty, who have advice, guidance, wisdom, and clarifications.
Being an alumnus has informed how I teach because I grasp from experience the rigor of the coursework and the discipline required to maintain pacing and communications with teachers. I am cognizant of what my own classmates and I were like at my students’ ages, with all our varied skillsets, strengths, and backgrounds. I also remember what my teachers were like in attitude and care when I had struggles and questions. People may not realize this, but OC Online teachers actually pray for the students. Whether we send out announcements or emails or comments saying, “I’m praying for you,” we literally are.
