Mountain Heights Academy has been recognized both locally and nationally for our personalized approach, academic opportunities, and award-winning teachers.
School Success
The amount of personalized instruction and teacher interaction available to students has not gone unnoticed. It’s helped us become the most highly-rated online school in Utah based on school grade, student test scores, graduation rate, and student progress.
Mountain Heights currently holds the highest level of accreditation through AdvancEd, the accrediting body for all secondary schools in Utah. We’ve received numerous prestigious awards and recognition, and in 2010, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan referenced Mountain Heights Academy as a top example of how technology is changing education for the better.
- eCyb
- Student Voices Award – State Ed Tech Director’s Association 2017
- Best of State- Online School 2018, 2019, 2020
- Best of State – K–12 Online Education 2015, 2016, 2017
- Best of State – Curriculum 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020
- Best of State – Charter School 2012, 2016, 2019, 2020
- USDLA Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching – Platinum 2016, 2017
- USDLA Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching – Gold 2015, 2012 (2)
- USDLA Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching – Silver 2014, 2012
- USDLA Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching – Bronze 2014
- 2015 Open Education Consortium Award for Best Course – Music Theory
- 2015 Open Education Consortium Award for Best Website
- 2016 Open Education Consortium Award for Best Course – Fitness for Life
Student Success
Students who have attended Mountain Heights Academy have found success as both students and alumni. Here’s a small sampling of what our students have achieved:
eCYBERMISSION State Winners 2018
eCYBERMISSION State, Regional, and National Winners 2019
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow State Winner 2020, 2021
eCYBERMISSION State, Regional, and National Winners 2019
eCYBERMISSION State Winners 2018
- US Presidential Scholars for the Arts
- Winner of STEMi Science Student Award
- Young Artist Award Winner
- Coca Cola Scholarship Finalist
- National Bell Choir Member
- Intern at Kenneth Burdett School of Deaf
- Chill Foundation Leadership
- National/International band and YouTube celebrity
- Rodeo circuit state finalist and national title holder
- Service learning in Peru
- American Leadership State Department service learning in Ghana
- Concertmaster at the Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles
- Soloist with Pasadena and San Fernando Orchestra
- English tutors in Korea
- Intern for Legislative Session
- Members of City Youth Council
- Guest performers with Utah Symphony
- Member of Team USA Baseball
- State and national chess tournament winner
- Stars of stage and film productions
- Mining Engineering Scholarship winner at University of Utah
- Participant in the TV show, The Voice
- Gold Medal in National Luge Championships
- Members of US Ski Team
- National champion skateboarder
- Olympic judo athlete
Faculty Success
All Mountain Heights Academy teachers and faculty are highly qualified, certified, and licensed. Several of our teachers and administrative staff have been recognized for their achievements in education.
- DeLaina Tonks, Director of Mountain Heights Academy, was awarded 2014 Utah Best of State Principal and was recognized as one of Utah’s Business 30 Women to Watch.
- Sarah Weston, Director of Tech & OER, was selected as the Charter School Teacher of the Year in 2010 in math. Sarah was the first online teacher in the state to receive the prestigious award.
- Sara Layton, language arts teacher, is a pioneer in the use of online secondary learning and open educational resources (OER) curriculum building. The State of Utah has recognized her work by naming her the Utah Charter School Teacher of the Year in 2014.
- Ashley Webb, CTE teacher, has been recognized by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) for her vision, innovation, action and transformation using technology to improve learning and teaching.
- Amy Pace, science teacher, has been named a National PBBS Learning Media Digital Innovator. She is one of the 100 nationally selected educators to be recognized for her leadership and passion for integrating digital media and technology into the classroom. She has also been recognized with the Governor’s Medal of STEM Excellence for her career achievements and distinguished service that has benefited the State of Utah in the areas of science and technology.
- Crystal Van Ausdal, math teacher, was awarded the Utah Coalition of Educational Technology Outstanding Educator of the Year award in 2016.