Surviving 7th Grade

As Krysten Carnes reflects on the days that she had to wake Brooklyn, her 13-year-old daughter, up for school, her memories are far from pleasant. “It was really a daily struggle to get her there,” Krysten says.

It was fall 2023, and Brooklyn had just started the seventh grade. “Every morning was full of anxiety,” Krysten says. “She would get physically sick. There were many days that she would be crying. There were even a couple of days that I had to pull over on the way to school, because of how sick and anxious she felt. It was really hard to watch.”

Things weren’t much different across town at the Engbroten household. “We would have some tears in the morning, with her begging me not to have to go to school,” says Melissa. Melissa is Alayna’s mom, and Alayna is Brooklyn’s best friend. “We had a rough patch there for a while,” Melissa says. “Alayna started asking us all the time if she could do virtual school.”

Becoming Besties

Both Brooklyn and Alayna were the shy, quiet kids in class at their Kansas City area school. Each of the girls struggles with anxiety, and they each saw their anxiety start to reach new heights near the end of their elementary years. “They met each other in fifth grade, and they just kind of clicked—I think because they were so much alike,” Melissa says. Krysten agrees. “The girls became instant buddies,” she says. “It was really helpful for Brooklyn.” The two—who were originally connected by their school counselor—regularly relied on each other for support.

Things changed after fifth grade, though, after Brooklyn’s family moved across town, and she changed schools. “They stayed in touch—we got them together for sleepovers and things—but school without the other one there just wasn’t the same for either of them,” Krysten says.

While Brooklyn and Alayna each made it through sixth grade without one another, neither would describe the year as a positive experience. “I would often get emails throughout the day, from Brooklyn, with her asking me if I could pick her up,” Krysten says. “Of course, that was hard for me, because I was also trying to work.”

As time went on, things got worse instead of better. And it wasn’t just affecting the kids anymore—Krysten started to have issues, too. “My blood pressure was through the roof,” Krysten says. “I had to get put on medication.” Her days were equally as long and trying as her daughter’s. “It was breaking my heart to see her struggle like that,” Krysten says. “I felt horrible even dropping her off.”

November 2023 was the final breaking point for Brooklyn. “Any time she was off school for an extended period, it was 15 times harder for her to go back,” Krysten says. “She didn’t go back after that Thanksgiving break.”

Enrolling Online

Not long after Brooklyn was given permission to go online, Alayna’s mother agreed that she could start online in the spring 2024 semester, too. “Krysten and I sat down and researched several different online options,” Melissa says.

After the search, they had narrowed their options to three. “I called each one, and I spoke to team members about what the programs had to offer,” Krysten says. “It was the counselor I spoke with at Launch—Victoria Zettl—who really connected with me, both as a parent and a counselor.”

The families chose Launch for several reasons. “I liked that they would still have access to a school counselor, because I was worried that was something that Brooklyn would lose,” Krysten says. “I also liked that she could still attend live classes and interact with her teachers and other students.”

The Launch team worked to help each of the girls enrolled, and Brooklyn and Alayna began their first Launch classes—together—in January 2024. “Brooklyn has a 504 plan, and it states that when applicable, she should be put in classes with a friend,” Krysten says. “The Launch team worked to make sure that the girls were all in the same live classes.”

Success with Launch

Both Brooklyn and Alayna finished their seventh grade years on Launch, and each was beyond happy with their experience. “I would say my favorite thing was that I could do my school work at home and not have to worry about other people,” Alayna says.

Brooklyn agrees. “I like that I get to do everything from home, and I don’t have to get dressed up for school or worry about what to wear,” Brooklyn says. “I also like the assignments a lot better online.”

And Brooklyn’s outlook isn’t the only thing that has improved. “She finished her first semester of seventh grade with one B, and the rest were all Ds and Fs,” Krysten says. “And that is not Brooklyn. Online was much better for her—she finished her first semester of Launch with all As.”

The girls still support one another in class, but it looks a bit different now. “They had sleepovers about once a week last semester,” Krysten says. “They would sit through their live Zooms, then work on their assignments together.” And just like the girls, both moms agree this was a change for the better. “I can’t even tell you how much of a lifesaver this program was for Brooklyn and myself—and I’d also say, for Alayna,” Krysten says. “I tell everyone I can about Launch and how much it has helped us.”