Draper / Utah / United States
In 2002 a group of dedicated parents submitted a charter school application for a new school, American Preparatory Academy. The model was based off of a highly successful school in Colorado – Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy. The school focus was rigorous academics and virtuous character development, utilizing small achievement-level groupings in elementary school – all in an environment of fun and enthusiasm. The application was approved and the first Draper school was born. The school opened at capacity, with a long waiting list. Parents, students, and teachers shared a common vision and created a school where students were challenged academically, and were given the leadership skills they would need to “change the world for the better”. Over the years our scores continued to climb and wait lists continued to grow. We wanted to help more children and families so in 2009, The School for New Americans, serving many immigrant and refugee children, opened in West Valley City to serve 570 students. Our new campus was quickly filled with students eager to learn and who responded quickly to the masterful instruction of our teachers and the challenging curriculum the school provides. The waiting lists demanded another West Valley school, to include a high school so students in West Valley could enter in kindergarten and complete their entire K-12 education at an American Prep school.
