Charter schools have been around for more than 20 years in Pennsylvania, which means thousands of alumni have had a chance to graduate and go on to college and careers. We asked more than a dozen local charter schools to tell us about some of their most distinguished alums.
Here are a few of them:
James “Jim” Allen
Agora Cyber Charter School, Class of 2009
Hometown: Halifax, PA, now lives in Idaho
Attended University of Utah
James graduated from the University of Utah with a near-perfect GPA and a degree in finance. He became an explosives expert while serving four years in the Air Force. He is now a police officer and serves in the Air Force reserves, preparing for a second deployment.
Nicholas Gale Basile
Souderton Charter School Collaborative, Class of 2012
Hometown: Quakertown, PA, now lives in Greentown, PA
Attends U.S. Military Academy
After graduating from SCSC, Nick entered Quakertown Community High School. He was accepted into the U.S. Air Force Academy as well as West Point, from which he will graduate next year. At West Point he has been a platoon sergeant, a command sergeant major for the Scoutmasters Council and founder and Captain of the United States Military Academy esports team.
Ryan Buchanan
Souderton Charter School Collaborative, Class of 2011
Hometown: Harleysville, PA
Attended Stanford University
Ryan attended Stanford as a biomechanical engineering major and two-year captain of the men’s rowing team, where he earned Academic All-American status all three years of his eligibility. As one of his two research labs, he developed a drone flight that uses camera vision to navigate. He now works for Merck & Co. in support of vaccine, biological manufacturing and packaging.
Cydney Pennick
Mastery Charter Schools, Class of 2015
Hometown: Philadelphia
Attended Pennsylvania State University
Cydney earned more than 25 credits during her senior year at Mastery and was admitted to Penn State on a full scholarship. While there, she created a T-shirt company, Black Beauty Inc., to bring to light historical African-American figures and their contributions to society. She graduated in the spring with honors and a degree in kinesiology and is entering the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Shamar Stokes
Mastery Charter Schools, Class of 2018
Hometown: Philadelphia, now lives in State College, PA
Attends Pennsylvania State University
Shamar received the Brooke J. Lenfest Trustee Scholarship, which provides full tuition for a Mastery student who attends Penn State’s University Park Campus. While at Penn State, he created a nonprofit to support and mentor underserved high school students in Philadelphia. He was selected for the Forbes Under 30 Scholar Program, representing Penn State at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Detroit, MI.
