On February 9, iUniversity Prep, the #1 online school in Texas and #2 in America, held an in-person meetup at Chicken N Pickle in Grapevine to allow students the opportunity to come together and play pickleball at the restaurant’s courts.
When asked about the school’s in-person events, iUP teacher Seth Duban noted that these gatherings serve as a way to have students interact with their teachers or peers.
“The iUP meetups are a great opportunity to get to know other students and teachers even better, make new friends and have fun,” he said.
This get-together allowed students to socialize through friendly competition playing pickleball. Even though iUP is a virtual school, students still get the chance to interact face to face in events like these, where they can learn teamwork in a fun and exciting way. By playing pickleball, students were able to apply a number of useful skills that can be applied back to academics.
During the meetup, students played pickleball in teams of two, which allowed students a chance to practice teamwork and collaboration. These skills can help students academically by enhancing their abilities to work in groups and encouraging them to ask for help whenever they need it. Even if students aren’t surrounded by teachers and other students during the typical school day at iUP, that doesn’t mean that they’re alone.
When asked about her opinion on iUP events such as this one, student Yadiz Martinez said, “I don't think I ever would have gone out of my comfort zone to play pickleball had it not been for the Chicken N Pickle meetup, so meetups are also a great way for students to try new things!” The in-person gathering at Chicken N Pickle isn’t the only opportunity for iUP students to meet teachers and peers. There are multiple in-person events held by the school, including Sip and Study, where students have an opportunity to complete assignments and get help from their teachers at multiple coffee shops across the state of Texas.
Visit www.iuniversityprep.org to learn more about the #1 online school in Texas!
This story was written by GCISD Communications Intern and iUniversity Prep student, Daniel Hall.