Sandeep Thomas has come a long way from his humble — and horrific — beginnings.

Born in a poverty-stricken district of Bangalore, India, the 19-year-old witnessed his mother’s suicide when he was about 6. His father was an alcoholic and abandoned him soon after his mother’s death.

He moved in with an uncle for a few months before he was adopted by Peter and Vanita Thomas, an American couple, and moved with them to New Jersey. Sandeep and his family moved to the Pacific Northwest a few years later and to Redmond Ridge about six and a half years ago.

After struggling in the traditional school setting, Sandeep, recently graduated from the Insight School of Washington, an online public high school serving students across the state. Come fall, the aspiring lawyer will attend the University of Washington-Bothell.

OVERCOMING ACADEMIC STRUGGLES

Despite his promising future and constant support from his adopted family, Sandeep struggled throughout his academic career and was even held back one year in elementary school.

“It just wasn’t clicking for me,” he said about his lessons.

Sandeep said part of this was learning a new language as he spoke Kannada in India. It was also difficult for him to grasp the meaning of his lessons.

His parents sought various styles of schooling: public school, private school, homeschooling and virtual learning. It was in the latter that things began clicking for Sandeep.

“I started to get my work done a lot faster,” he said.

Sandeep said final grades for this year have not been calculated yet, but his cumulative grade point average so far is 3.3.

Sandeep explained that a lot of the pressures from a classroom setting — answering questions or asking for further explanations — were removed along with outside distractions such as bullying and peer pressure.

Sandeep said this gave him a sense of ownership of his education.

“I was doing this for myself,” he said.

Sandeep also enjoyed the flexibility Insight provided. Because he turned in assignments online, he was able to work at his own pace and call or email his teachers any time he needed help. Additionally, Insight, which is part of the Quillayute Valley School District in Forks but has offices in Bellevue, offers options and variety in classes that goes beyond the basic graduation requirements including computer fundamentals, public speaking, drama and business.

Sandeep said this provided a greater learning experience because he could shape it himself.

“(Insight is) really open about it,” he said. “They give you the freedom of forming your learning experience.”

Insight principal Tim Driver said the school’s flexibility attracts a broad range of students, from professional athletes to Running Start students to teen parents. There are also students like Sandeep who don’t learn well in traditional settings. Driver added that in a world filled with texting, Twitter, Facebook and other online entities, a virtual school would be familiar for most students.

“That’s the kind of world they’ve grown up in,” he said.

GIVING BACK

Having benefitted from online schooling, Sandeep traveled down to Olympia a few times this school year as a representative for Insight. He testified in front of the state’s Senate Ways and Means Committee in support of virtual schools. On another occasion, Sandeep met Gov. Chris Gregoire to present her with an award to thank her for her support of online schools.

Because of this work, Sandeep was voted by students, staff and teachers as Student of the Year for Insight. He spoke at the school’s graduation ceremony, which was held at Bellevue College and had about 3,000 people in attendance — roughly 350 of which were graduates.

Sandeep said he wants to continue with his efforts in supporting and promoting online schools because his two younger sisters are enrolled in online schools.

Sandeep’s service this year did not stop at school.

Through his church’s youth group, he organized a 30 Hour Famine, a program with World Vision for young people to implement. The purpose of the program is for teens to learn about the effects of hunger. They stop  eating for 30 hours and participate in various activities during the “famine” that people in developing countries would such as searching for water and building shelter. Sandeep’s event, which was from 1 p.m. on March 25 to 7:30 p.m. on March 26, also included speakers who came to the church and talked about service and outreach.

“This was all when we were hungry,” Sandeep said.

After the famine and learning what it is like to really be hungry, the teens organize fundraisers to help feed children around the world. According to the 30 Hour Famine website, “(Students’) eyes are opened to a world of hunger and hope. Their minds are filled with the understanding needed to fight poverty and injustice. They experience hunger firsthand to help feed and care for hungry kids.”

Sandeep said within his youth group, fundraisers include selling truffles and helping people move. Sandeep and his 13-year-old sister cooked meals of Indian food for families on Fridays for the month of May. He and his sister raised about $3,000. Sandeep’ youth group of about 150 raised a total of roughly $8,700, which they donated to World Vision.

“Our goal was to feed 80 kids for one year,” Sandeep said adding that he was surprised by how much money they raised as well as how many people participated. “I honestly didn’t (expect that level of participation).”

FULL CIRCLE

Sandeep’s goals for the future are to help children get out of poverty. He said he hopes his life experiences will motivate others.

“It’s a humbling experience, actually, knowing that I come from there,” he said.

But raising money and providing food can only do so much and Sandeep wants to do much more.

He said he plans to study business at UW-Bothell and then earn a law degree from the University of Washington‘s Seattle campus. He said this way, he can help others through legal means and get them on the right track.

And with roots in poverty, he has plenty of motivation to lend a helping hand.

“He’s really overcome some obstacles…I couldn’t be happier for him,” Driver said about Sandeep. “He’s got a bright future ahead of him, no question.”