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Liahona Preparatory Academy

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Coordinates: 40°22′20″N 111°44′10″W / 40.37222°N 111.73611°W / 40.37222; -111.73611
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Liahona Preparatory Academy is a regionally accredited[1] private school in Utah County, Utah, United States, that offers instruction to students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The school was founded by Brent and Kolleen DeGraff in 1996.[citation needed] In 2019, the DeGraffs retired and the school was sold to the Long Family and is currently run by Jordan Long, a graduate of and long time teacher/administrator at Liahona. The school blends core academics with the principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Liahona has been in operation since 1998, and is named after an artifact described in The Book of Mormon.

As of 2024, Liahona Preparatory Academy had an average ACT score of 25, which falls below the average score of 27 for Utah private high schools. This placed it in a tie for #11 out of 13 private high schools in Utah, based on ACT scores.[2]

Location[edit]

Liahona Preparatory Academy (grades Pre-K through 12) is located just off I-15 at 2464 West 450 South in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Liahona Elementary (Pre-K to grade 4) is located at 801 North 300 East, Pleasant Grove.

Liahona has an accredited[3] distance education system through Cognia. Each week, the students and teachers are filmed in the four core classes (History, Science, Math, and English). The weekly videos are available via the Internet and accessed by students worldwide. Liahona also offers various electives and pre-filmed fast-track courses for students both on campus and in the distance education program.[4]

Restoration Education[edit]

Restoration Education at Liahona Preparatory Academy integrates Latter-day Saint (LDS) doctrines into the academic curriculum.[5] This approach includes focused teachings on how modern Native Americans are descended from Israelites and that ancient Israelite societies existed in pre-Columbian America, as described in the Book of Mormon. However, there is no substantial archaeological evidence supporting these claims.[6] Genetic studies further indicate that Native Americans have predominantly East Asian ancestry, with no detectable traces of Middle Eastern or Israelite DNA.[7]

Activities[edit]

Liahona has a nationally award-winning drama department. The school produces 3-6 shows each year in their black box theater on site, which includes their elementary, junior high, and high school programs. Liahona has won 5 National High-school and 3 National Jr. High Shakespeare titles at the annual Utah Shakespeare Festival Competition in Cedar City, Utah. They also have won 4 straight UHSAA Region and State titles in Drama from 2016–2020.[citation needed]

Each year, Liahona students attend a week-long youth conference at Aspen Grove in Provo Canyon. There are activities, youth speakers, service projects, and entertainment. Liahona students can also participate in sporadic service trips. One such trip involved traveling to Mexico to volunteer at two orphanages the school adopted. On another such trip in 2019, students repaired homes and schools while also spending time with orphans and the homeless on the island of Luzon in The Philippines. One year, students also participated in a Christmas service project taking presents, food boxes, clothing, blankets, books, hygiene kits, and school supply bags to Navajo families near Chinle, Arizona.[citation needed]

Liahona teaches four basic classes: history, science, English, and math. It also offers electives such as Digital journalism, Spanish, Kung-Fu, various theater courses, and career exploration. As of 2021–22 the school had 171 on-campus students.[8]

Athletics[edit]

Liahona Preparatory Academy joined the Utah School Sports Alliance (USSA) in the early 2000’s, they also joined the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) in 2009. Their basketball team had a 7-1 record in 2007, winning the state championship against Lincoln Academy by 19 points. The soccer team went 12-0, also defeating Lincoln Academy in the state championship in a shootout, the school left the USSA in 2015 and rejoined in 2019.

In 2019, the women's cross country team won the state championship. In 2020, the girl’s team repeated as state champions. The junior high girl’s cross country team also won the state championship.

Controversy[edit]

In 2013, Broch Clyde DeGraff, the son of Brent and Kolleen DeGraff, founders of Liahona Preparatory Academy, was arrested for sexually abusing two 16-year-old female students. The abuse occurred between October 2011 and June 2012 and involved grooming, text messages, and physical encounters at both the school and DeGraff's home. DeGraff, who was a teacher and the soccer coach at the school, was in a position of trust and authority, which he exploited to commit his offenses.[9]

Broch DeGraff pleaded guilty to two counts of forcible sexual abuse and four counts of attempted sexual abuse, and was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "NWAC School Accreditation Summary". AdvancED. NWAC. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  2. ^ "Average Private School ACT Scores in Utah (2024)". Private School Review. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  3. ^ "NWAC School Accreditation Summary (Distance Ed)". AdvancED. NWAC. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  4. ^ "Liahona Education Fast Track Courses". liahona.thinkific.com. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  5. ^ "Restoration Education". Restoration Education. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  6. ^ Wartick, J.W. (2011-11-01). "Genetic Evidence and the Book of Mormon: Did any Native Americans come from the Middle East?". Reconstructing Faith. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  7. ^ "DNA and the Book of Mormon". |website=Institute for Religious Research |access-date=2024-06-16}}
  8. ^ "LIAHONA PREPARATORY ACADEMY". Private School Universe Survey. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Teacher accused of sexual relationships with students charged". KSL.com. February 27, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  10. ^ "Former Utah teacher gets prison for sexually abusing two students". The Salt Lake Tribune. April 16, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2024.

External links[edit]

40°22′20″N 111°44′10″W / 40.37222°N 111.73611°W / 40.37222; -111.73611

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