This fall, after wowing millions of TV viewers, falling just short of the final round on NBC's The Voice and gaining national exposure that she hopes will launch a lifelong music career, Shalyah Fearing tried something new. She started learning in a traditional classroom at a local public high school.

Now 16 and a junior, she takes three classes at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey, Fla. while managing the rest of her course load online.

Her family has experienced just about every flavor of school choice — public, private, virtual, home education. So it was fitting that they lent their voices to one of the first events of National School Choice Week, which runs Sunday through Jan. 28, and includes more than 20,000 events across the country.

Students join Shalyah Fearing on stage during a celebration of educational options in Pasco County, Fla.

The events steer clear of politics and encompass multiple educational options.

Among others, Saturday's celebration in Shady Hills featured local Catholic schools, the Pasco County school district's career academies and the statewide virtual school that allowed Shalyah to take classes while she chased her musical dreams in California.

For most of Shalyah's life, she and her six school-age brothers and sisters were homeschooled. As her mother puts it, they enrolled at Fearing Academy.

When she traveled to Los Angeles to compete on reality television, she took classes through Florida Virtual School. She tackled assignments as her schedule allowed, and kept up with teachers and classmates online and by phone.

"All I had to do was carry my laptop everywhere I went," she said. "My teachers were always available." (more…)

Editor's note: Our friends at the EdFly recently shared a story from Florida that reveals many of the benefits of the new definition of public education. We re-publish it here. Shalyah Fearing will compete in the elimination rounds of "The Voice," which start Monday on NBC. The Tampa Tribune has the latest on her quest.

by Kate Wallace

When Shalyah Fearing, now 16, drove up to Atlanta from central Florida to try out for the season 9 of hit TV show "The Voice" in February of 2015, she had no idea how she would fare next to the 10,000 hopefuls who stood in line with her.

After waiting through a three-day process, she made it to a second audition and was optimistic, but eventually was sent home and told she might get called back.

“I took that to mean the process was over,” Shalyah said. “I was disappointed but happy I made it as far as I did.”

Life went on, and Shalyah had moved on from the idea of appearing on the show. But six months later, a phone call came. It was a producer asking if she would come to Miami and try out again for season 10. After another round of grueling auditions, Shalyah was asked to come to the set of The Voice to audition live for the show’s famous cast of judges. (more…)