Home-schooler makes Teen People
 
Sherry Boas
Sentinel Correspondent

October 15, 2002

TAVARES – Kimberly Johnson spends a lot of time riding horses, practicing target shooting, concentrating on her high-school studies and being involved in 4-H activities.

She doesn't much care about things such as fashion, makeup or celebrity gossip.

So the 16-year-old Tavares home-school student and her mother were a bit shocked when Teen People magazine, which thrives on such topics, called and wanted to interview her for a story.

Her mother, Sandy Johnson, answered the phone.

"I almost blew Kim's chance when they first called. The interviewer asked, 'You know what Teen People is?' and I said, 'Well, I don't, but I think my daughter does.' "

The straight-A student, who actually didn't know about the magazine either, earned a spot in it anyway. As the Florida State Dressage Champion for 2000, she was written about in the magazine's "FYI" column, a regular feature focusing on "Real Teens, Hot News and Cool Views."

"They were looking for someone who excelled in a distance-learning program and who had changed their schedule around to have time for other hobbies and athletic pursuits," Sandy Johnson said.

The magazine contacted high-school long-distance-learning programs nationwide and asked for recommendations of students who met its requirements.

Kimberly's biology teacher, Mary Mitchell, nominated her.

"The requirements I was asked to look for in my students was that they be females who were excellent students as well as competitive athletes," said Mitchell, a full-time teacher with Florida Virtual High School for six years.

She works with about 150 students annually.

"From my conversations with her, I knew Kim would be an excellent candidate. She is a well-rounded person, and I don't think those types of students get all the recognition they deserve."

Kimberly is one of more than 10,000 students who attend the 5-year-old online school. Florida Virtual High School is affiliated with all 67 Florida school districts, plus charter schools, nonpublic schools and home-schoolers. It also serves students from other states and countries. Enrollment is free to Florida students, while non-Florida students pay tuition.

The virtual school offers 65 courses, including honors and 11 advanced-placement courses.

Kimberly has been a student of Florida Virtual High School for three years. This year, as a junior, her workload includes chemistry, algebra II, American studies, Latin II and personal fitness.

"I really enjoy writing, but I don't like algebra," said Kimberly, who aces the math courses.

Kimberly also makes time to take daily care of her horse, Suni, attend weekly dressage riding lessons at Summerset Farm in Sorrento; work part time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; keep up with responsibilities as the treasurer of the teen-leadership counsel in the county 4-H Club; and spend time at home playing with her 7-year-old sister, Amelia, who also is home-schooled.

"It took a long time before the article appeared," said Kimberly, who hopes to one day compete in the Olympics in dressage. "But I am so busy that I wasn't even aware when the article came out."

In fact, it was one of her friends, a fellow Florida Virtual High School student, Allyson Poe of Vero Beach, who first saw the article in the October issue of Teen People and e-mailed Kimberly with the news.

"We wouldn't let her tell us about the article until we saw it, so she drove here from Vero Beach the next day to bring the magazine to us," Kimberly said.

Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel