Whether it’s ranch duties, church activities, soccer practice, painting or chess, Neptalia Perez finds time for it all with Texas Tech K-12.

On a Texas ranch, about 100 miles northwest of Austin, Neptalia Perez tends to the family’s animals – 14 sheep, three cats, four kittens, two dogs, two adult ponies and one foal. Those chores can be anything from daily feeding and watering to shepherding the sheep and ponies. 

The tasks are in addition to her competitive soccer schedule, hobbies, church activities and her schooling. Neptalia is a fifth grader in Texas Tech K-12, her second year in the program.

Neptalia’s dad, Daniel, who is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, enumerates many reasons for choosing the self-paced online school. Not the least of those motives is his daughter’s love for and pursuit of club soccer – a sport she eventually wants to chase professionally. Meanwhile, she has time for practices and travel, but more importantly, an education tailored to her style and speed of learning. 

Before enrolling in Texas Tech K-12, he says Neptalia faced challenges in traditional school. She struggled to keep pace with a system that moved at a rhythm different from her own. Additionally, time constraints limited her capability to fully participate in club soccer. 

“Now, she thrives with the ability to learn at her own speed, enriching her experiences both academically and athletically,” Daniel said. “Also, it allows our family to attend church more actively and travel, ensuring we can prioritize both faith and community while maintaining a strong educational foundation.”

Daniel’s service in the Marines is the very beginning of Neptalia’s family story. He was deployed to the outskirts of Al Fallujah, Iraq, for Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004 to 2008.  He later took part in a humanitarian mission to Nicaragua in 2007. It was there he met his future wife, Nora, who was his barber. After losing touch for some time, they reconnected, married and are now a family of nine. Neptalia’s has six siblings ranging in ages 25 years to 4 months old. 

Learning Goals and Soccer Goals 

Daniel says Texas Tech K-12 takes the guesswork out of homeschooling, including a path for students to earn dual credit, a high school diploma and an associate degree.

“We have that all built in. And then, it’s set up perfectly so when the kids transition to college, the college courses look just like these – same structure, same format, just a little more in-depth,” Daniel commented.

Academics may not be Neptalia’s only route to higher education. She’s been playing soccer since she was 6 and is on the Texas Nova Soccer Club team. Traveling to Dallas and parts of Oklahoma is typical for the young athlete. But college soccer might look a little more familiar to her, as she aspires to play for Texas Tech. She’s already part of the Red Raider family. Graduates of Texas Tech K-12 can take advantage of fast-track admissions and scholarship opportunities at the university.

Even with ranch chores, schoolwork and soccer commitments, Neptalia has other favorites like any other 10-year-old. She enjoys art, particularly painting and quickly shares that her favorite color is pink. Her favorite school subject is English. Having already learned good time management skills, she goes about her courses methodically, dividing her four core subjects – science, social studies, math and English – on somewhat of a Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday schedule. 

“I wake up in the morning, and I can do my two subjects I have to do. Then, for the rest of the day, I can play with my sisters, or learn more, like about chess, to beat my dad,” she says giggling, glancing over at Daniel sitting next to her. 

Looking ahead, Daniel says the overarching goal is to help Neptalia become comfortable and proficient with this type of platform so she can accelerate. 

“We hope that, by the time she completes high school, she will graduate with that associate degree, ensuring a strong foundation for future opportunities,” Daniel said. “Education is a top priority for our family, and we are grateful for the possibilities Texas Tech K-12 provides.”