MYRIAM GONZALEZ
“Let's be honest about the Hornet Academy experience, it is a little different … At Hornet Academy there is no hiding. If you're having a bad day — the teachers know. If you're slacking off — the teachers know. If you come in five minutes late — they definitely know,” Azle Hornet Academy Principal Chris Hill said.
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, AHS halls welcomed 35 students and staff from the academy in celebration of the fall class of 2025. During his opening speech, Hill recognized that although the learning experience differs from a traditional school — with teachers “knowing” your every move — it’s that closeness that sees students through sometimes arduous schedules, while balancing coursework.
The academy is the district’s fully online education pathway that allows students to earn their diploma through monitored, self-paced coursework and an eventual passed state exit exam. Throughout the program, students are given access to a teacher through an online portal to guide them through their individualized graduation plan. All classes are self-paced; however, they must complete one full class every two weeks to meet requirements.
The Hornet Academy was established in 2008 and has since seen 933 graduates of all ages and walks of life earn their credentials while navigating some of life’s challenges. Many students enroll to fast‑track their diploma because of work or family commitments, with some working two or three jobs and others juggling both.
“Some of you worked 40 hours a week while finishing your credits. Some of you are already parents. Some of you dealt with health issues or family struggles that would make most people quit,” Hill said. “There were probably many nights when you thought ‘I'm done, I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'll figure it out.’ But you didn't do that. You showed up, you did the work, you wrote the essay, you earned this,” he added.
Azle ISD Board President Bill Lane was also in attendance to offer words of encouragement, thanking students’ friends and family and drawing from his own experience.
“They could not have done this without your support. I know that because I was a kid that had the same problem. I had to go to school at night, but I never gave up, not going to let the fact that I had to work a 40 hour a week get in the way of me getting an education, doing what I wanted to do — exactly where y’all are tonight. So just don’t ever give up,” Lane said.
After Superintendent Todd Smith recited the list of Azle Hornet Class of 2025 graduates, cheers erupted from the crowd, lifting the room in a moment of shared pride.
