Canyon State Academy

Canyon State Academy
Address
20061 E. Rittenhouse Road Queen Creek, Arizona 85142 United States
Coordinates	33°15′50″N 111°39′01″W / 33.26394°N 111.65030°W / 33.26394; -111.65030Coordinates: 33°15′50″N 111°39′01″W / 33.26394°N 111.65030°W / 33.26394; -111.65030
Information
School type	Private high school
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	214 (October 1, 2012)^[1]
Color(s)	Maroon, gray
Mascot	Rams
Accreditation	North Central Association
Website	canyonstateacademy.com

Canyon State Academy is a private residential school serving male youth between the ages of 11-17 with a history of delinquent behaviors, dependent/neglect backgrounds, mild mental and emotional health issues and special education needs. Situated in Queen Creek, Arizona, its 180-acre campus includes a variety of additional programs, from temporary shelter to long-term residence. It is managed by Rite of Passage, which provides a variety of programs and services to at-risk youth throughout the nation. The school is a member of the Canyon Athletic Association.

History

Arizona Boys Ranch

The school started as the Arizona Boys Ranch in 1948 and later grew to include eight facilities in Oracle, Queen Creek, and elsewhere.^[2] The original mascot in the ABR era was the Spartans, and colors were green and white.^[3] This was a nod to Frank Kush, a Michigan State University alumnus, who helped start the football program in 1994.

Almost immediately after its foundation, ABR football was a successful program. From 1995 to 1997, it had three nearly undefeated seasons — it only lost to one team, Blue Ridge High School from Pinetop-Lakeside, but it faced the Yellow Jackets three years in a row in the 3A title game and lost. From 1995 to early September 1998, no school would beat ABR except for Blue Ridge; this streak was broken when another emerging football power, Chandler's Hamilton High School, beat the Spartans on their turf.^[4] It was the first time ever that the visiting school won in a game played at the Boys Ranch.

On March 2, 1998, Nicholaus Contreraz died at the Boys Ranch due to the abusive conditions at Arizona Boys Ranch.^[5] On August 27, 1998, the Boys Ranch lost its operating license. It was later reinstated (by October 7),^[6] but the effects echoed. Once an AIA 3A school whose enrollment hit 458 kids in 1998,^[7] it had 45 after California pulled the students it fed to ABR out, making it one of Arizona's smallest high schools. Its Oracle facility had been closed, centering all activity on the Queen Creek location.