While her peers still have a year or more of high school, 16-year-old Celeste Haupt is just two math credits away from graduating.
She expects to finish this spring and get a jump on enrolling in a clinical psychology program at Lorain County Community College.
Two years ago, she hated walking the halls inside her high school.
Feeling like she'd never fit in, she signed up for classes at the new Vermilion Academy, where she could work at her own pace -- minus the drama and distractions.
Recognizing that not all students thrive in a traditional school setting, Vermilion is considering expanding the reach of its academy.
It currently serves about 90 students in Vermilion and a few neighboring districts, offering more than 150 online courses students can take at home or in the academy's classrooms.
Located at the board of education office on Beechview Drive, its staff consists of an administrator, general education teacher and an intervention specialist who designs lesson plans to meet the needs of each student.
Some have dropped out of school or need to re-take failed classes. Others are looking for classes their district doesn't offer, such as aviation.
About 30 of the students have special needs.
"Some of these kids come with a lot of baggage," intervention specialist Sherry Smith said. "There are kids who are here who probably would not have graduated."
So far this school year, the academy has graduated 14 students, with one more on track to finish by the end of the month. Students leave with a high school diploma, rather than a GED.
District officials are studying the possibility of opening the academy up as a community school, allowing others from outside the area to attend.
The district would serve as the school's sponsor, but it would operate with an independent board and its own budget, similar to Townsend North Community School in Margaretta Township. Enrollment at that school has more than quadrupled since it opened last fall, now serving more than 150 students.
Read more about the district's plans in Sunday's Register.