September 15 was National Online Learning Day — a day meant to celebrate the doors that open when education adapts to students’ needs. For me, it’s more than a day on the calendar. As a senior at Texas Online Preparatory School (TOPS), online learning has been the foundation that allowed me to dream big, act boldly, and bring my ideas to life. 

When I was younger, I faced a challenge that changed my outlook forever: losing my grandfather to adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare cancer often detected too late. I wanted to do something meaningful in his honor and help others detect this cancer earlier on. Through months of research and with the flexibility online learning provided, I developed an AI tool that can detect biomarkers of cancer earlier, potentially saving lives. This work earned me the chance to present at the International Young Researchers’ Conference in Tokyo, an experience I will never forget. 

That project took countless hours of cold-calling researchers across the globe, analyzing genetic data, and training my AI model. The flexibility of online learning gave me the freedom to balance school with research, competitive tennis, robotics, and entrepreneurship. 

Beyond my AI work, I founded Youth Opportunities in Tech Innovation (YOTI), a nonprofit where students build free apps and websites for real clients while gaining hands-on experience. I’ve also been honored to win first place at the 2025 Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference, compete in the NASA Space App Challenge, design 3D-modeled homes for disabled veterans, and earn the rank of Eagle Scout. 

To me, online learning isn’t just about convenience — it’s about access. Access to time, mentors, and opportunities that allow students to innovate in ways we never imagined. On National Online Learning Day, and every day after, I hope more students have the chance to discover that when education meets you where you are, the possibilities are limitless.