Texas Tech K-12 had everything this family was looking for.

Even before her expected graduation from Texas Tech K-12 in May, Adira Edwards is well on the way to her future. 

Adira enrolled in the school during the second semester of her sophomore year. Her family discovered Texas Tech K-12 via an online search. 

Melanie, Adira’s mom, said they were looking for an asynchronous learning program that offered great teacher and administrative support, access to advanced coursework, opportunities for clubs and events as well as standardized testing to help with college admissions. 

“Coming from a traditional learning environment, we encountered extreme teacher shortages in classrooms and a host of other challenges that came along with that,” Melanie explained. “We wanted Adira to have a fair chance at learning and felt Texas Tech K-12 would provide her with that opportunity.”

The Edwards’ younger daughter, Lael, also recently completed middle school through Texas Tech K-12. 

Adira enjoys the asynchronous nature of the program, which enables her to be independent when it comes to completing assignments. Having a single deadline to complete all coursework allows her to pace herself and accommodate her other responsibilities and goals. The school has also helped the senior gain new confidence in her own abilities. 

“I can more successfully juggle the responsibilities of school while I continue my research work, build on my training regimen for track and field, serve others at church, volunteer at community organizations and enjoy my hobbies,” Adira said, enumerating a long string of commitments and passion projects she has time to pursue.

It is obvious Adira is incredibly driven. She wants to be a part of a leading health care and research team with the goal of helping forge change in the medical industry to improve patient experiences and outcomes. 

Texas Tech K-12 has not only given Adira the time, but also the tools to nurture her passion for learning by allowing her flexibility to explore topics in school that interest her. For example, when learning about different types of graphs in math class, she can take the time to experiment with their properties to try and find new graphs and determine why certain equations produce certain shapes on a graph. She also mentions physics as a favorite class, particularly enjoying the opportunity to design the answer to an engineering question, both solving problems and inventing solutions to fix them.

Adira’s current plan is to enroll in a good research-based college program that will allow her to begin working toward helping to meet patient needs, as well as assist with creating solutions to some of the challenges people face in health care. Melanie says the sheer flexibility of the program has already opened the door for Adira to join one of Texas’s leading research organizations to help with digitizing specimens.

“She researches, transcribes and translates specimen details,” Melanie said. “This has enabled her to receive training and mentorship from her supervisor, a scientist, on best practices for research and documentation, and how to leverage technology to help improve outcomes.”

A most enjoyable and unexpected part of Adira’s time in Texas Tech K-12 has been meeting her classmates, teachers and advisors in person through school-sponsored events such as Raiderpalooza and Spring Fling. She is also grateful for leadership opportunities such as student council and National Honor Society, which she’s been involved in since November 2024 and February 2025, respectively.

But Adira’s life isn’t all textbooks and nose–to–the grindstone. She has a pet parakeet named Milo and a wild duck named Janice that she takes care of when ​it visits her at home. She enjoys music-making, nature photography, gardening and spending time with family. 

Another pastime is building miniature house sets. She is imaginatively transported to new cultures and lifestyles through the architecture and artifacts in the houses that she builds. 

“My favorite pieces to create are the tiny food items, bottles, ribbons, bows, trim, baskets and boxes that usually can be found around the houses,” Adira said, her pride showing in her smile. “While not usually obvious, they add to the beauty of each house and help to tell the story of a likely inhabitant.”

Adira’s free time is at a premium lately though, as she’s already well into the college application process. Melanie says earning national awards and recognition on the journey is part of how Texas Tech K-12 has prepared her daughter well for that next step. They’ve already begun receiving college acceptances, merit scholarship offers and honors college admissions letters; however, Adira has not made a final decision on what program she would like to enroll in to further her studies. 

“I love that Texas Tech's slogan is “From Here, It's Possible™,” Melanie says. “Texas Tech K-12's coursework has truly prepared Adira to excel in everything from AP exams and SATs to standardized testing. 

“College applications require an all-hands-on-deck approach from supportive parents, teachers, counselors, registrars and more. When it comes to some of the more competitive programs, it's not for the faint of heart. However, the staff, especially her advisor Taylor Fierro, was there to answer every request with speed and excellence for the required teacher recommendations, transcripts, counselor letters and more. We are so grateful for all the help.”

Thinking through and managing all the many aspects of her busy life, Adira reflects on her “why” and what keeps her motivated every day – to one day be able to use a career in medicine to improve lives by both helping to find cures for supposed “incurable” diseases and conditions.

“And also, by bringing people closer to God through Jesus Christ, who is my hope and my peace,” Adira said with conviction. “I know that if I work hard every day, it will help me to reach that goal. Faith without works is dead (James 2:26) – meaning, when faith isn't accompanied by real actions rooted in love for God and others, it is useless.”