Options for Youth Charter School: Empowering Students in Victor Valley for 40 Years

Courtesy of Options for Youth

Ironically, the options were limited when Options for Youth – Victor Valley (OFY-VV) opened in 1987. Upon opening, the school started in a single classroom at Victor Elementary School in Victorville, California, with Pamela Hall, co-founder, as the teacher. 

One class, one teacher, and one very powerful vision. 

“We wanted to provide students and families with meaningful educational opportunities,” says John Hall, co-founder of Options for Youth – Victor Valley, along with his wife, Joan, who was also an educator. 

For many students, the option to attend the charter school was the breakthrough opportunity they needed. Options for Youth – Victor Valley focused on helping students who had fallen behind on their credits and were at risk of failing or simply had dropped out of traditional school altogether. The mission was to support all students, regardless of their circumstances, and make success possible for those who feared it might be out of reach. 

Courtesy of Options for Youth

Four decades later, that mission has been accomplished for thousands of students. In fact, Options for Youth – Victor Valley has been so successful it now consists of three school sites and is chartered through the Victor Valley Unified High School District. 

“Looking back over the past 40 years fills us with tremendous gratitude,” Hall says. “(Options for Youth – Victor Valley) has flourished into a community of students, families and staff, made possible by the continued support of the district and community at large. It has been an honor to watch and experience generations of students grow, graduate and achieve their dreams.” 

Those who have worked at the school over the years feel the same way, especially when it comes to how Options for Youth – Victor Valley has evolved. 

“When I began here in 2000, it was a school that primarily served students who came to us because of disciplinary problems, using limited resources and curriculum,” says Steven Reavis, who has been teaching at the school for 26 years. “I have had the pleasure of watching Options for Youth – Victor Valley grow into a school that serves all students, offering amazing opportunities that include an expansive curriculum, seat-time classes, as well as sports and clubs.” 

Courtesy of Options for Youth

Athletic director Caroline Lynch also marvels at the changes that have taken place since she joined the school in 2000. She notes that, at the time, teachers were grading Spectrum packets by hand, but now the school has an enhanced array of curriculum, including online programs. In addition, the educational offerings have expanded to include Advanced Placement classes, as well as career and technical education courses and dual enrollment courses through Victor Valley College and Pathways College. 

“But through all that change, one thing has stayed constant: the connection between students and staff,” Lynch says. “It’s a defining characteristic of this organization – a genuine, sustained focus on building positive relationships. Curriculum will keep evolving. Technology will keep changing. But that relationship-first approach is the foundation everything else is built on.” 

The vision moving forward is that the Options for Youth – Victor Valley’s approach to personalized learning will spread to other schools, empower generations of lifelong learners and shape a more inclusive world. 

Which would be the best option of them all. 

For more information about Options for Youth – Victor Valley, visit ofy-vv.org.