technology Archives | My Virtual Academy

How To Turn Your Teen Into A Successful Virtual Student

Advice, Creative Learning, Education, high school, technology, teenagers, Uncategorized, virtual school | 0 comments

Congratulations! You and your teen decided it was time to take control of their education and allow them to learn in an environment that will work best for them. Becoming a virtual student is a very exciting time in one’s life and it can also be a bit scary and nerve-wracking. Often times, the parent hasn’t had to do any virtual learning themselves and the teen might be anxious, wondering what virtual learning will be like.

Virtual learning allows your teen to rest easy knowing that many of the stressors that hovered over them in their traditional school have been left there – in their old school – and they can feel comfortable turning their attention to their academics versus wondering if they’ll be bullied or peer pressured. While there is still interaction with other students online, it’s not quite the same as sitting in a class with someone who is picking on you or being self-conscious during class because you aren’t sure if your learning disability will allow you to sit through the whole class, uninterrupted.

Virtual schools still expect dedication, drive, and determination from their students, but when students are learning in a more relaxed environment (their home usually) and are able to learn at their own pace, good results follow. High school is a time that is to be used to prepare students for life after graduation, whether that is college or the workforce.

Here are a few things you can do to prepare your student so they are a successful virtual learner:

Talk about their responsibilities as a virtual high school student.

When your teen learns from home, the responsibility of staying on track and doing their daily work falls on their shoulders. Let your teen know that you are there to support them, as are their mentor and teachers, but that they need to take responsibility and know how to manage their workload. Should they encounter times when they need extra assistance or feel they are struggling, they need to know who to contact. Make sure they know they can come to you at any time but also have them keep their teacher/mentors contact information somewhere that is readily available. It’s important to also let them know that when they face a problem with schoolwork, they should try to resolve it themselves first or try to think of a solution. Being a virtual learner is a great time for them to learn to be resourceful.

Allow your teen to work independently.

As a virtual student, your teen will be working by themselves often so it’s crucial that they learn how important self-discipline is. Distractions are everywhere, especially at home. A ringing phone, a loud TV, the mailman, a barking dog, these are all noises that are common in a household, but can be distracting to a young person trying to study. Help them set up an area of the house that is just for them and their schooling, preferably in a distraction-free area. Let them know with virtual learning comes great trust, responsibility and the belief that they can work independently and stay on track. They also need to know there are consequences should this trust be broken.

Set a schedule up with your teen.

Think about your work life…you have meetings, deadlines, business lunches, etc. It would be impossible to keep track of everything unless you had a calendar or planner. The same will go for your teen. They are responsible for keeping track of all their schoolwork, due dates, test dates, and online classes. Buy them a planner or calendar, sit down with them and map out as much as you can for their first semester of school. You could help them color code various subjects, if they think that will help them see things at a glance. They also should have an area to keep some file folders that contain materials and assignments. Let them know they will be in charge of managing their own schedule when it comes to school, as long as they don’t misuse the privilege.

Help your teen write down goals for the year.

Everyone does better when they are working towards a goal. People tend to be more motivated and driven when they have an end result in mind. The same logic applies to your teen. Does your teen want to earn a certain grade point average? Would they like to excel in science and take a more challenging course the next semester? Would they like to join a sports team to meet new friends? Whatever their goal may be, help them map out a path to achieve it. Ever heard of vision boards? Help your teen create one. Setting goals is vital and will get them eager to begin working towards whatever they have their heart set on.

Success at My Virtual Academy

At My Virtual Academy, your student’s success is our main priority. Our staff works very hard to tailor our programs to meet each student’s individual learning needs. We are very excited that you decided to join the MVA family and cannot wait to see what the future has in store for your teen!

Have you visited our Facebook page? Hop on over and check it out! It’s a great way to stay in-the-know and hear what others within our MVA community have to say.

Talk to an enrollment specialist today: 800-297-2119.

Virtual Learning Can be a Life Saver

Creative Learning, Education, high school, technology, teen moms, teenagers, virtual school | 0 comments

When people think of virtual learning, they often think the students that attend are teens on the verge of dropping out, who had unplanned pregnancies, or who have learning difficulties. While we definitely cater to those students, we also have families who turn to us in their greatest time of need.

Whether a loved one has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness, lost their home in a fire, or found out that their student has an illness and needs to be in a homeschooled environment, virtual learning can be a saving grace. We try to remind families that even though they are suffering something and feel that their world is crashing in on them, their child can continue to move forward with their education and work at a pace that is right for them and the rest of the family.

Virtual learning during hard times can be a life saver for your middle/high school age child for a variety of reasons, including:

They can still have a sense of routine.

When the rest of their life is in turmoil, school could actually be a source of comfort for the student. It gives them an avenue to spend their thoughts and energy. School could preoccupy their time instead of leaving them on their own and possibly turning to other things to help cope with the stress.

They don’t have to kiss their dream of graduating goodbye.

As a teen, the first step to having a successful life is to obtain your high school diploma. If teens hit a hardship and feel that slipping through their fingers, they often feel hopeless. They can get wrapped up in a downward spiral because they feel they’ll never get anywhere in life. Virtual learning allows them to continue to earn the credits needed to graduate, but on their own time.

Virtual learning provides the flexibility their lives need.

Tough times call for flexible measures. A rigid schedule that traditional school calls for most likely won’t work when your family is going through a crisis. Being able to do your coursework in a flexible manner is key to success. Your teen can also work wherever they are at, as long as they have internet access. If they find their days are spent at a parent’s bedside in the hospital, or they themselves are on strict bedrest, they can complete their studies from there. If they find they are on the road a lot, they can do their studies from their pit stops. Their school can go with them practically everywhere.

Teens are able to help out whenever needed.

When an illness strikes a family, people can be left feeling helpless, especially the kids. They often feel there is nothing they can do to help and feel even more helpless because they are gone to school for 8+ hours each day. Virtual learners can easily fit their studies in around the times they help out around the house. If they need to drive a parent to important doctor visits, help prepare meals, etc., they are able to do that without the added stress of getting behind in their studies. Their schoolwork will be waiting for them and they can tackle it when the time allows later on in the day.

Keeps ill students in a safe environment.

Sometimes the illness or tragedy that strikes doesn’t affect the adults; sometimes it affects the student themselves. Should an illness strike a child, they may be too weak to be exposed to the plethora of germs found in traditional schools. The safest environment for them to be in is probably their own house. Virtual learning works perfectly in those scenarios. Students can learn from the safety and comfort of their own home and can switch their focus away from the dangers lurking in traditional schools and onto their studies. If they are low on energy and need time to rest, that’s okay too. Our goal is to work with each individual student and keep a flexible, custom plan that keeps them on the path to graduation while taking into account their unique situation.

Regardless of the curve ball life threw at your family, we are here. We can help keep your child’s education moving in the right direction. Our teachers and mentors work closely with the students to ensure that they’re doing well and are fabulous at helping in any way that they can.

Our enrollment team is standing by, waiting to answer any questions you may have. Let’s get through this together and help your teen move forward during this stressful time. Please give us a call today at 800-297-2119 or visit our website by clicking here. For more content like this head over to our Facebook page and start following us today.

Putting a Halt to Unlimited Screen Time

Advice, technology, teenagers | 0 comments

We all know our kids spend too much time looking at their phones. The question is how does it affect them over time, and what do we do about it? Studies show that the average teen spends a whopping 6 hours and 40 minutes in front of a screen per day. That’s right, per day! In this study, screen time included phones, TVs, computers, and tablets. Did you know that as much as half of that time is spent on more than one device at a time? How often do you see your kid in front of the TV, yet they have their phone in hand, scrolling through social media or watching a video on YouTube? Let’s face it, we’re probably guilty of the same thing!

This large amount of screen time is bound to do some damage. Obesity rates rise, time spent socializing with family and friends decreases, as does the mental health of our teens. On the flip side, when a child’s screen time is monitored and regulated, there are improvements in physical activity levels, social interactions, and academic performance. Knowing those facts, it’s clear to see that it will be worth your time to come up with a plan on how to set screen time limits.

Here are some ways you could begin to limit your child’s screen time (and not be met with great resistance):

Be a good role model.

They watch our actions more than they listen to our words so be a good role model. Set the tone of the household when it comes to electronics and their usage. It’s hard to tell them not to be on their phones all the time when you are always on yours.

Let them know your rules about screen time and stick with them!

Read that again. You could draft all of your rules regarding screen time but if you don’t follow through and enforce them, what good are they?

Educate your teens.

Let them know what the dangers are with too much time spent in front of a screen and share with them the benefits. After all, how are they supposed to make wise decisions if they don’t have all of the facts?

Screen time is earned.

Having a hard time enforcing your new screen time rules? Then take it all away and make them earn it back. Perhaps they need to do their chores before they get an hour of screen time. Maybe they need to get an A or a B on a big test to earn some screen time. You set the goal and you set the reward time.

No screens at meal time.

A lot of families implement this rule. It’s a simple one: no TV, tablets, phones, etc. during meal times. Instead, encourage the old-fashioned pastime of talking to one another face-to-face. Share your day and ask them about theirs. It’s wonderful!

Skip the screen.

Have a certain day or two of the week where you “skip the screen.” This can make people anxious at first, but then they’ll love it! It’s so nice to unplug once a week.

You may go into this battle of reducing screen time with your guard up, anticipating the worst outcome but you may be pleasantly surprised after they get into the groove of the limited times. Your family will grow stronger because of it and your child will benefit academically. Stay strong and get over any initial push back because it will get easier and setting boundaries will be good for everyone.

If you have a 5-12^th grader that is struggling a bit in school, why not try something different than the traditional education setting? As a student at My Virtual Academy, your child would get to work from the comfort of their own home, at their own pace, at times that best fit their own schedule. Who wouldn’t thrive with that way of learning? Please click here to visit our website or give our Enrollment Specialists a call at 800-297-2119 to have our program explained in detail and to have all of your questions answered! We hope to hear from you soon!

Teens and the Internet Exposing Hidden Dangers

Advice, technology | 0 comments

When kids are little, you can count on every parent having the conversation about “stranger danger” with their little ones. Kids are taught from a young age to never go anywhere with a stranger. Never take candy from a stranger. Don’t so much as make eye contact with a stranger. Parents talk until they are blue in the face about this topic when their kids are little, but many don’t talk with the same sense of urgency (or at all) about the dangers lurking on the internet as their child gets older.

Many parents have the FALSE notion that if they had “the talk” with their kids as littles, they will know to stay away from strangers as they get older.

The problem is that strangers look a lot different and appear in different forms as kids get older. True, there are still strangers that could physically approach them, but as times have changed, so has the way predators prey on their victims and often times it’s done anonymously online.

The reason this should be so scary is because as parents, you aren’t overseeing every site that your kids visit. You aren’t on their apps acting as them. You don’t know who they are talking to. We assume it’s their friends but that term is used loosely online and a “friend” isn’t someone they necessarily ever met.

Sometimes, kids take friend requests or strike up conversation with someone that they think is someone of the same age when in actuality, it’s a 50 year-old man who lives in another state or country. They end up sharing pictures with this person, not realizing they aren’t talking to who they think they are. It can get dangerous, especially if they try to meet up with them to hang out. A situation that your teen thinks is innocent can take a turn for the worse in a flash.

This is why it is so important to have a grown-up version of “the stranger danger talk” with them. They need to have their eyes open to the dangers that live on the internet and how to use it safely. Teens are notorious for living on the edge and feeling invincible so having this conversation with them in a serious manner is important.

In addition to having a serious talk with them, there are things you can do to empower yourself and keep a better eye on your teen and their internet behaviors.

Get Informed

New technology seems to come out daily so it can be overwhelming to stay on top of all of it, but you have to try. Even if you see no reason to personally be on Facebook or have an Instagram account, get one! You actually do have a personal reason to be on social media – because your teen is! Familiarize yourself with them at least a little bit and start following your child. You will be able to see what they post and monitor their friend list just by being on there.

Staying informed isn’t just about keeping up with social media. Knowing the devices they are on is also crucial. Do you know how to work a smart phone? How about their tablet? These handheld devices are always at their disposal and are most likely the way they will be accessing the internet so you should be familiar with them.

Parental Controls

Parental controls are your friend! These can be set up on most devices ranging from TV’s to phones. These controls allow you to regulate which content they are allowed to view, what they can download, what times they can use the device, the list goes on and on. Use these to your benefit. You should also update your password every so often. Kids can be sneaky and they will at some point figure out your parental control password. Keeping it fresh and new will keep them from overriding the limitations you put on.

Hidden Apps

Did you know that you can hide apps in plain sight!? That’s right! There are actually apps that allow you to download icons that are used to mask the original icon as a way of making the app look harmless to the naked eye. A simple Google search will yield tons of results on the various apps that provide these icons as well as things to look for to see if your teen is using them.

Public Profiles

Public profiles are a huge no-no, especially for a teen because they mean just that – the public can see them and everything they post. People usually post pictures of things they are doing, trips they have been on, them hanging out in their room. They even post where they are in real time by “checking in.” These are things that are ok for their friends to see (and by friends, we mean people they actually know) but you wouldn’t want these pictures or information out in the public. It’s back to the whole stranger danger thing. You don’t want the wrong info getting into the wrong hands.

Ways to Monitor Activity

Many parents don’t want to feel like they are spying on their teens but when it comes to their safety, there’s nothing wrong with monitoring their online activity. It doesn’t need to be secretive. Be open and honest about why you are concerned and how you will be monitoring them. Let them know that it’s for their benefit and to keep them safe. They will probably be mad at first but if they have nothing to hide, they’ll get over it. There are many different types of monitoring software out there and it would require some research on your end to determine which one fits your needs best. Monitoring isn’t the right option for everyone but we want you to know that it is a possibility.

Let’s face it, kids these days are going to be online. They will have a social presence. They almost have to in order to succeed in today’s virtual world. It’s better to have a handle on their activities now while you still can and teach them the ways to be smart and safe online. Preparation and knowledge are key. Talk about safety and the dangers out there before they are venturing out on their own and into adulthood.

Virtual Students Glide into the Workplace

career ready, Education, high school, technology, virtual school | 0 comments

Whether your student goes to college or not after earning their high school diploma, one thing remains for certain: they will need to get a job. Students who are enrolled in a traditional school could have a harder time adjusting to entering the work force than virtual learners. After all, in traditional schools, your schedule is mandated; your goals are preset. Much to do with your success is out of your hands.

With virtual schools, such as My Virtual Academy, your success is largely in your hands. You have to learn the skills of self-management, which will come easily because you will work on courses at your own pace, on your own time, and you will be responsible for your daily progress. This skill alone gives you an advantage over those who took the traditional route of schooling.

The workforce is evolving at a more rapid pace than ever before. Thanks to the Internet business is no longer conducted just within your community. Even the smallest business can be global. Does your student have the skills needed to keep up with the jobs of tomorrow? If they are at My Virtual Academy, the answer is yes!

Technology is advancing by the minute. That means that your student must have an adaptive set of skills to offer an employer. They must be willing to constantly learn, often from a computerized learning module. These ongoing skill expansions will allow them to stay marketable and valued as an employee and contributor to the business. It will keep them at the top of the list of people who are able to meet their employer’s needs and technological advances. Virtual learning helps prepare students by allowing them to master this style of learning as they complete their high school coursework.

Employers will also be looking for the following characteristics:

Prioritizing Work

As a boss, being able to assign tasks and not micromanage your employee is a must. If someone can be given a job or a task, make a plan of attack and execute it so that the task is complete without the boss having to walk them through things step-by-step, that takes a lot of pressure off of a boss. That’s the kind of employee they want. Good news! Your teen is doing that on a daily basis! They know the job at hand and have to figure out how to organize and plan out how they will complete the lesson. Virtual learning really fine tunes their organizational skills.

Self-Guiding

As we mentioned, no one wants to micromanage. It takes a lot out of everyone involved. The boss loses valuable time monitoring what their employee is doing and the employee feels like someone is constantly watching them and telling them what to do. It’s usually a lose-lose situation. Being able to motivate and guide yourself is a must-have skill in today’s job market. As a virtual student, your teen is proficient as they need to be highly self-motivated to succeed in a virtual setting. They need to have the discipline to focus and complete their coursework.

Collaborative Mindset

When you are a virtual student, you are constantly collaborating with others to complete projects. These students that you might work with come from a multitude of different backgrounds, cultures, religions, etc. Successfully collaborating with others that are different from you in school and in the workplace is crucial. It not only offers you insight into how others solve problems, view the world, and digest information, but it forces you to find commonalities and work together to get the job done. The same principle applies to both schooling and the workplace.

Technology and workplace expectations are constantly advancing and My Virtual Academy works hard to ensure that your student has all the skill-sets needed to exceed during their school years and beyond. We’ve structured our flexible learning courses to meet the needs of your students today while preparing them for the world tomorrow. We believe that the skills they will master while in our academy will do just that. The self-discipline, self-control, organization, time management, and technological know-how will place them highly in a competitive market upon graduation.

Is your student interested in joining My Virtual Academy and gaining the skills needed to give them a leg up? Reach out to us on our Facebook page, our website, or by calling 800-297-2119. Our friendly staff is waiting to answer any questions you may have or begin your child’s enrollment. We believe that every student should have the chance to learn to their full potential, and that may not always mean the traditional brick-and-mortar schools that we are used to. We are a tuition-free school and students enrolled with My Virtual Academy receive everything they need to successfully complete our program and earn their high school diploma. What do you have to lose? See if My Virtual Academy is the right fit for your teen today!

Introducing Your Student To Audiobooks

Books, high school, Middle School, technology | 0 comments

March is reading month and there’s no better time than now to explore the amazing world of audiobooks with your family! Audiobooks are a fantastic way to take in great literary pieces and the wonderful thing about audiobooks is that you can take them with you throughout your day. A lot of people enjoy listening to audiobooks in the car or as they are doing chores around the house. They can also take them anywhere else their phone/tablet/laptop can go because thanks to the plethora of audiobook apps, you can listen right from your handheld device!

Audiobooks can be a fun option to keep your kids engaged in reading when reading doesn’t quite seem to be something they are into. We’ve compiled some great audiobook options for your tweens and teens that are sure to pique their interest. Don’t forget to check out our top apps for downloading audiobooks! There are some great options that range from free to subscription-based companies out there. Without further ado, here are some stellar options for your student to further explore:

Audiobook Recommendations for Middle School Students

A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning

by Lemony Snicket, narrated by a full cast, featuring Tim Curry

Are you made fainthearted by death? Does fire unnerve you? Is a villain something that might crop up in future nightmares of yours? Are you thrilled by nefarious plots? Is cold porridge upsetting to you? Vicious threats? Hooks? Uncomfortable clothing?

It is likely that your answers will reveal A Series of Unfortunate Events to be ill-suited for your personal use. A librarian, bookseller, or acquaintance should be able to suggest books more appropriate for your fragile temperament. But to the rarest of readers we say, “Proceed, but cautiously.”

Boy: Tales of Childhood

by Roald Dahl, narrated by Dan Stevens

Find out where the bestselling author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG got all his wonderful story ideas in this autobiographical account of his childhood!

From his own life, of course! As full of excitement and the unexpected as his world-famous, best-selling books, Roald Dahl’s tales of his own childhood are completely fascinating and fiendishly funny. Did you know that Roald Dahl nearly lost his nose in a car accident? Or that he was once a chocolate candy tester for Cadburys? Have you heard about his involvement in the Great Mouse Plot of 1924? If not, you don’t yet know all there is to know about Roald Dahl. Sure to captivate and delight you, the boyhood antics of this master storyteller are not to be missed!

When You Reach Me

by Rebecca Stead, narrated by Cynthia Holloway

Shortly after a fall-out with her best friend, sixth grader Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes, and she doesn’t know what to do. The notes tell her that she must write a letter—a true story, and that she can’t share her mission with anyone.

It would be easy to ignore the strange messages, except that whoever is leaving them has an uncanny ability to predict the future. If that is the case, then Miranda has a big problem—because the notes tell her that someone is going to die, and she might be too late to stop it.

The Mighty Miss Malone*

by Christopher Paul Curtis, narrated by Bahni Turpin

“We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful” is the motto of Deza Malone’s family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But it’s 1936 and the Great Depression has hit Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother, Jimmie, go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie’s beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father. The twists and turns of their story reveal the devastation of the Depression and prove that Deza truly is the Mighty Miss Malone.

*Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter Series #1)

The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale

Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility. All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley – a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry’s room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn’t had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry – and anyone who reads about him – will find unforgettable. For it’s there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that’s been waiting for him… if Harry can survive the encounter.

Audiobook Recommendations for High School Students

Code Name Verity

by Elizabeth Wein, narrated by Morven Christie and Lucy Gaskell

Oct. 11th, 1943-A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it’s barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she’s sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage, failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?

Dracula

by Bram Stoker, narrated by Alan Cumming and a full cast

When Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania to meet with the mysterious Count Dracula, he ends up enslaved by the vampire who wants to learn about England. Leaving Harker for dead, Dracula travels to London where he begins to menace Harker’s fiancée, Mina, and her beautiful friend, Lucy. After escaping from Dracula’s castle, Harker returns to London where he meets Abraham Van Helsing who may have a way to destroy the blood-sucking monster! Originally published in 1897, Dracula is one of the best-selling and most influential novels of all time.

Eleanor and Park

by Rainbow Rowell, narrated by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhtra

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love—and just how hard it pulled you under.

A 2014 Michael L. Printz Honor Book for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

Winner of the 2013 Boston Globe Horn Book Award for Best Fiction Book.

A Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of 2013

A New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of 2013

A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2013

An NPR Best Book of 2013

Personal Effects

by E.M. Kokie, narrated by Nick Podehl

Ever since his brother, T.J., was killed in Iraq, Matt feels like he’s been sleepwalking through life — failing classes, getting into fights, and avoiding his dad’s lectures about following in his brother’s footsteps. T.J.’s gone, but Matt can’t shake the feeling that if only he could get his hands on his brother’s stuff from Iraq, he’d be able to make sense of his death. But as Matt searches for answers about T.J.’s death, he faces a shocking revelation about T.J.’s life that suggests he may not have known T.J. as well as he thought. What he learns challenges him to stand up to his father, honor his brother’s memory, and take charge of his own life. With compassion, humor, and a compelling narrative voice, E. M. Kokie explores grief, social mores, and self-discovery in a provocative first novel.

The Diviners

by Libba Bray, narrated by January LaVoy

Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City–and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

Printz Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Libba Bray opens a brand-new historical series with The Diviners, where the glittering surface of the Roaring Twenties hides a mystical horror creeping across the country.

Downloading Audiobooks

There are a ton of apps and websites that allow you to download audiobooks. Some charge a fee for each download or charge monthly subscription fees, and others are free to members. Here are a few apps to check out when you are ready to start downloading:

Audible (Android, iOS: $14.95 per month subscription)
Audio Books by Audiobooks.com (Android, iOS: $14.95 per month subscription)
Bookmobile (iOS: $3.99 after free trial)
Nook Audiobooks (Android)
OverDrive (Android, iOS: Free through your local library)
Hoopla Digital (Android, iOS: Free through your local library)

Get Listening!

We are so excited that you are giving audiobooks a try. The whole family is sure to love the experience! If your tween or teen tries one out and it doesn’t strike their fancy, give another one of our recommendations a shot. Books are definitely a personal preference, but the good news is there are thousands of books out there just waiting to be read (or listened to!). If you or your student has a favorite audiobook that you think others in the My Virtual Academy community might love, pop on over to our Facebook page and share the title(s) with us. We look forward to hearing from you!

All book descriptions were pulled from www.barnesandnoble.com

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