Acceleration Academies_Spring2023_Pathways Magazine

WICHITA ACCELERATION ACADEMIES
Peyton Campbell:
With Hard Work and Help
from WAA, His Forecast Calls
for Blue Skies Ahead
To see Peyton Campbell glide around the room
at Wichita Acceleration Academies, you’d never
guess that he’s a young man who’s seen his
share of struggle.
Sporting a Carhartt work shirt and well-worn leather
boots, the teenager greets his elders as “whippersnappers,”
waxes enthusiastic about his plans to sell
roller-equipped boots on Shark Tank, and geeks out
about tornadoes.
Not long ago, Peyton’s world seemed
to be coming apart. After cycling
through the Kansas foster care system
for a decade, he was pulled yet
again from his parents’ home and
was unsure where he would spend
his senior year.
Peyton wasn’t eager to plunge into
a brand new school full of unfamiliar
teachers and classmates. He decided
to try WAA and its flexible, personalized
approach. He felt right at home
and began coming to campus when
the doors opened, then studying until they closed at
night. He was able to power through his remaining
classes and — the day before his 18th birthday — celebrate
his diploma.
“I came in every single day, just kept knocking out
classes,” says Peyton. And he did it with help from
the caring team of educators at WAA. He credits,
“
“If I’m just by myself, I
get distracted, get off
pace,” he says. “Kevin
and Jarrett would say,
‘Come on, let’s just get
it done.’ ”
among others, English coach Jarrett Schaef
and social studies coach Kevin Farlow for helping
him stay on task.
“If I’m just by myself, I get distracted, get off pace,”
he says. “Kevin and Jarrett would say, ‘Come on,
let’s just get it done.’ ”
Even before he graduated, Peyton
had his future mapped out.
Fascinated with weather since he
was a child growing up in the Midwest’s
Tornado Alley, he decided
he wanted to become a TV meteorologist
and approached KSN-TV
to pitch himself as an intern.
While he hasn’t been on camera
yet, Peyton practices in front of
the green screen whenever he
can and works closely with the station’s
weather team to build forecasts
and chase after the storms moving through.
With college in the forecast, his future is looking
sunny, indeed.
“Peyton knows exactly what he wants to do,”
says WAA Director Chris Turner. Graduation
candidate advocate Veronica Headings adds,
“He has that drive. I think we’ll see him on the
news one day.”
20 Pathways | Spring 2023