Monroe youth hits the ice — Uses non-traditional learning in goal to go pro

Written by Marla Hoffman
Thursday, 22 October 2009 13:13

At a time when most high school seniors are signing up for class trips, donning class rings and making preparations for prom, Victoria Craw is taking the reins on her own education, and getting in shape for what she hopes will be her future career as a professional ice dancer.

Between her online classes, dance classes, and three-hour-a-day practices on the ice, Victoria is a girl on the go.

As she searches the country for a partner, Victoria studies with Keystone, the online high school. While she’s traveling, she does her school work from the car, in the airport or during downtime at the rink.

“I can do my work anywhere I am,” she said. “And I can move at my own pace, as fast or as slow as I need to be. I’m always busy, so I need that flexibility.”

And when it comes to her schedule, flexibility is key, she said. She trains with a personal trainer, takes dance classes at Connecticut Dance, is on the ice everyday, and still finds time to do her homework.

The flexibility of her learning, she said, is what allows her to pursue her dream of becoming a professional ice dancer.

Victoria, who has competed as a figure skater all the way to the regional competition, has been skating for several years but shifted her focus to ice dancing, where male and female skaters dance together, in 2006.

She has been training with two-time silver medalist Matthew Gates as she looks for a partner, and hopes to be on her way to the junior level this time next year. But she says she can’t compete without a partner.

“There’s so much to practice,” Victoria said. “The girl is expected to be the strength of the team, so I’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

Victoria said that the competition in ice dancing is cutthroat, and that male partners are in high demand.

“I’m anxious to begin practicing with a partner,” she said. “But finding one is the hardest part.”

Because good male partners are hard to find, Victoria said she is prepared to have to move when she does find one.

She said she would like to go to college, but where, she said, depends on where her future partner is.

“A year from now I hope to be on my way toward a professional career,” she said. “Who knows where that will be right now? But I’m working hard now so I can fulfill my dream.”

Victoria’s mother, Gianine Craw, a former amateur figure skater, is proud of what her daughter is trying to accomplish.

“She is ambitious and a hard worker,” said Gianine. “She wants to go after her dreams, and I admire her for that.

“There’s a limited opportunity when you are a young skater,” she added. “But Victoria is willing to make sacrifices for the bigger picture.”

The sacrifices, Gianine said, extend to her education as well.

“She’s self driven and motivated and does it all on her own,” Gianine said. “She enjoys learning and has gained a lot of independence managing her own education.”

While online learning is not the typical method of earning a high school diploma, Victoria said it is a form of home schooling that works for many kids like her. She trains with some of them.

“It’s considered independent learning, but I still have teachers that really care about what I’m learning and how I’m doing,” she said. “I’ve been able to take the same courses as I would in regular high school.”

Victoria went to Immaculate High School in Danbury for ninth and tenth grade, where she excelled academically, but switched to Keystone last year when she decided to pursue a career in ice dancing.

Not only has she maintained excellent grades learning online, she will also graduate a half-year earlier than she would have if she had stayed in regular high school.

Victoria says there is a stereotypical view that home schooled students do not get to socialize but says she is case in point that it’s not true.

“I meet so many different people from all over the world,” she said. “That is an experience I wouldn’t get if it weren’t for skating, and I couldn’t skate if I didn’t go to school online.

“I feel like because I’m home schooled I get so many more opportunities,” she added. “Some of the other kids I train with use Keystone; they’re like my classmates.”

Victoria’s goals do not stop at ice dancing.

“One day I’d like to be fluent in French and Italian,” she said.

Her other interests include graphology — the study of handwriting — often used in criminal investigations.

“It’s something I want to look into,” she said. “There is life after skating.”