Elevate Academy

07/01/2024

Elevate Academy carries on the Heritage legacy today for students with mood & anxiety struggles and attachment challenges. See our new Executive Director Blake, school principal Joni, and beloved teacher Kristen share their passion for the students we serve.

Elevate Academy helps adolescents with attachment traumas, mood and anxiety disorders, and adverse childhood experiences. Our relationship based model based ...

06/17/2024

The Alta home is open with a brand new identity - that of a girls home! In recent months we mixed up the girls in our milieu to better serve the social needs of the current students. Rather than try to merge the identities of already-established home cultures, the girls had the bright idea to move into a vacant home on campus and establish a new cultural identity all together. 🏡

Once upon a time Alta was affectionately called “the little boy’s home,” and now it feels warm and welcoming to again be filled with students in the process of growing to heal & thrive. 🌟

06/17/2024

“When you ask our kids what they want to do, who they want to BE, they light up. That is life-changing for a teenager, to have someone be leaving you and be excited about your future,” says Kristen Utley of the Elevate Academy.

Here’s a little sneak peek of Kristen working her magic with students, deep diving into the Transition Planning part of their Individualized Education Plan. She wants every student to thoroughly understand their plan and how it can help them move toward a future they are excited about.

06/17/2024

Are you a pickleball fan? The sport is all the rage in Utah - courts are going into parks all over the valley where Heritage sits - but we are lucky to have our own court in our very own gym. Just one more way we keep students active in the name of mental & physical health!
..aaaaand, stay tuned because in a few months we will also have some brand-new *outdoor* pickleball courts, thanks to a generous donation from a former parent. :)

06/17/2024

Hoku is back! And oh, how we’ve missed her!

You might ask “Who is Hoku?” and the answer is that Hoku spent many years at Heritage as a dedicated residential caregiver, leading girls homes with warmth and often tough love. She is firm and solid in what she expects and in creating the sort of environment that promotes healing. The energy of every home she leads reflects that 💗.

A few years back Hoku “retired” to raise her own family of four young children, and now that they are in school, she is back to add her talents to the Elevate Academy on the Sundance home. The girls have warmed to her immediately and it’s fair to say that *everyone* is delighted to have her back.

Relationships and the amazing people we work with are what makes Heritage great!

06/10/2024

Elevate Academy Alumni! Will you take a moment to share your updates with us? Anonymously if you choose :)

Please fill out any of the questions below that are of interest to you; please note very few are "required" so answer whatever you have time for! We look forward to hearing from you and wish you well on your continued path!

06/05/2024

Many of our students experience the wonder of Utah’s majestic scenery for the first time while residing with us. The most common backdrop is the snow-capped mountains🏔️where Heritage is located, but the second most common sight are the red rocks of Southern Utah for camping or home retreats. 🏜️

05/28/2024

It’s that time again! Elevate students are gearing up for the annual summer camping trips! Do you have any camping stories to share?

05/13/2024

Elevate’s outdoor adventure program is focused on helping students try new things & embrace the outdoors! The famous Sundance resort is very close - 15 minutes from campus - and Heritage holds annual corporate passes for the use of our staff & students. This means fabulous winter and summer activities are available year round for the adventuring of our students.

05/13/2024

Elevate Academy offers all students the chance to ski or snowboard weekly during ski season. They attend with their home peers on a Monday or Wednesday each week.

If a student has never skied or snowboarded before, no worries! Students will choose what they want to learn and our staff teach each of them. Many students start on the bunny hill and before we know it are cruising around the rest of the mountain.

03/30/2024

Chromebooks are a regular sight in classrooms - we think it’s important for students to have a healthy relationship with technology and be prepared for life after treatment. 💻

03/25/2024

The phrase “It takes a village” has never been more true. Ryder came to Heritage not believing in himself let alone believing he could graduate from high school. And today, we celebrate Ryder in not only completing the Elevate Academy program, but also graduating with his high school diploma.

We are so proud of you Ryder! Best of Luck and Congratulations.

03/04/2024

We have 17 horses on our campus, each full of personality and quirks - and adored by our kids. Equine assisted therapy can take many forms, like caregiving and attachment building via individual therapy or just through informal hangouts at the barn - often students on a walk trying to self regulate will seek out this calm environment. Group therapy with the horses can heighten the experience of teamwork and creativity in a way much more impactful than talking alone. 🐴

02/15/2024

Stacy Crandall has been with Heritage for 31 years. When asked “Why are you still here?” the response is always “Because of the kids.”

Stacey is well deserving of the Leadership Council's nomination for this Spirit of Heritage award. She is dependable and loyal, taking her role seriously and always wanting to improve, knowing that it benefits her students.

One of her colleagues said "Stacy continues to amaze me with her knowledge and ease in sharing experiences with the kids and faculty. Stacy makes it look easy, yet I know there is so much time and preparation put into how Stacy runs the classroom and the lessons taught. I appreciate the time Stacy takes to help things go right and hold the kids to a high expectation.”

While accepting her award, Stacy said "I have had a lot of ups and downs while I have been at Heritage. But what keeps me coming back is the kids. They have taught me resilience, unconditional love, hope, and how to laugh during difficult times. It sounds corny, but I have seen “Changing a life for a lifetime” happen.

Last month, I was able to meet a former student for lunch. To say that she was a challenge while she was here would be putting it mildly. She is thriving and enjoying life. Stories like hers are why I stay."

Thank you for your long service and your contributions toward making Heritage an amazing place to be, Stacy. We are so grateful for you!