How DCAWI Helped Dylan Find His Voice—and His Future 

A personalized virtual experience at Destinations Career Academy of Wisconsin empowered Dylan to grow, explore, and chart a future full of promise 

For Dylan, high school was never just about tests and textbooks. It was about finding a space where he could be himself, try new things, and figure out what really made him excited to learn. He found that space at Destinations Career Academy of Wisconsin (DCAWI). 

“I just liked that I could do school on my own time,” Dylan said. “It gave me the chance to try a bunch of different things and figure out what worked for me.” 

At first, Dylan enrolled in virtual school as a temporary response to the pandemic. “I’ll be honest—I didn’t think it would go well,” his mom, Cori, recalled. “Dylan has autism and ADHD, and I was terrified about the idea of ‘school on a screen.’” But just weeks into that first semester, everything changed. “There was this flip,” she said. “He started participating, telling me what he was learning. It was a side of him we hadn’t seen before.” 

That transformation stuck. Dylan quickly found his rhythm in the virtual setting—and more than that, he found his confidence. No longer navigating the stress of crowded hallways or the pressure of timed tests, he thrived in DCAWI’s flexible, project-based environment where students can explore. Like game design—he thought he’d love it, but found it wasn’t for him. Still, “It’s always nice to try new things,” said Dylan.  

Instead, he found joy in unexpected places—like photography. Despite never meeting with a teacher face-to-face, he thrived in the asynchronous class and was surprised by how much he enjoyed it. “If I still had the camera, I’d probably still be taking pictures,” he said. 

But the real turning point came through community. Dylan joined the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) as a freshman—and stayed involved all four years, even serving as vice president for Wisconsin’s chapter twice. Through service projects like making holiday cards for hospitalized kids, he gave back while building leadership skills and relationships that mattered. 

“He got the Spirit Award one year, then again the next,” Cori said. “This quiet kid who used to fade into the background was suddenly being recognized for helping others and speaking up in class.” 

One teacher, in particular, left a lasting impact: Bill Brazier, his web design teacher and NTHS advisor. “He just brought out a side of Dylan we’d never seen,” Cori said. “He clicked with him immediately.” Brazier not only taught Dylan his first IT class—he encouraged him to explore the path further. 

And explore he did. Dylan tried courses in coding, photography, criminology, and more—eventually landing on a passion for audiovisual design. “Now I’m planning to go to Madison College to study that,” he said. His dream? To work at a radio station. Inspired by the radio shows he loves, Dylan’s hoping to someday help create that same content. 

Dylan’s path hasn’t been traditional, but it’s been uniquely his. From volunteering with kindergartners as a reading buddy to helping classmates troubleshoot tech issues, he’s grown into someone others count on—and someone who believes in himself. 

For Cori, the decision to stay virtual was never in question after that first year. “We saw him be happy. That was everything,” she said. “DCAWI gave him the space to learn how he learns best. It changed everything.” 

Now, as Dylan graduates, he’s taking the next step toward a creative career—and doing it with a sense of purpose and pride.