To the editor:

Our 11-year-old son LaDarius just began his second school year at Virginia Virtual Academy, and we couldn’t be happier.

LaDarius is autistic and was frequently bullied in his public brick-and-mortar school. I would pick him up from school myself so he wouldn’t have to take a school bus with other kids. Once I witnessed one of his peers stomp on his head on the playground. He’d come home from school with ripped clothes or knots on his head from getting pushed into a wall. Another child wrapped his backpack strap around his neck and pulled it from behind, choking him. His teachers would act like they didn’t see what was going on. His self-esteem plummeted.

He was getting C’s and D’s in his studies at his brick-and-mortar school. His ADHD diagnosis makes it difficult for him to learn in a regular classroom setting and follow multi-step instructions. All that has changed at VAVA! LaDarius is able to learn from home and get special attention from his parents and teachers online. He is excited for his live class connects and is becoming more confident each day. We take him to VAVA field trips and extracurricular activities.

VAVA was a godsend for us. We have since enrolled his sister and recommend VAVA to everyone we meet.

Felicia Crest

Portsmouth