Canyon State Academy
Encyclopedia
Canyon State Academy is a public charter, all-boys alternative high school in Queen Creek, Arizona
. Its goal is to be a home for troubled boys that need skills development and counseling. Its 173-acre campus offers a variety of programs, from temporary shelter to long-term residence. It is operated by Rite of Passage, which provides programs to at-risk youth. It is one of four Arizona Interscholastic Association
-member single-sex high schools, along with Brophy College Preparatory
/Xavier College Preparatory
and Mingus Mountain Academy
, with which it partners for some events.
, Queen Creek, and elsewhere. The original mascot in the ABR era was the Spartans, and colors were green and white.
In the 1990s, ABR football was a successful program, making it to three straight state final games in the 3A Conference of the Arizona Interscholastic Association
and three straight losses during the 63-game winning streak of Blue Ridge High School
from Pinetop-Lakeside.
On March 2, 1998, Nicholaus Contreraz
died at the Boys Ranch due to abusive conditions. The result was devastating. On August 27, 1998, the Boys Ranch lost its operating license. It was later reinstated (by October 7), but the effects echoed. Once an AIA 3A school whose enrollment hit 458 kids in 1998 , 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. ABR football collapsed into a mere shadow of its former self.
Frank Kush
was tied to Boys Ranch football: the colors and mascot were a nod to his alma mater (Michigan State University
), and the training facility was named for him. He started working at the ranch in 1986 (after the demise of his Arizona Outlaws
of the USFL
), later helping to start the football program in 1994.
.
Queen Creek, Arizona
Queen Creek is a town in Maricopa and Pinal counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. The population was 26,361 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Queen Creek is located at ....
. Its goal is to be a home for troubled boys that need skills development and counseling. Its 173-acre campus offers a variety of programs, from temporary shelter to long-term residence. It is operated by Rite of Passage, which provides programs to at-risk youth. It is one of four Arizona Interscholastic Association
Arizona Interscholastic Association
The Arizona Interscholastic Association is the major high school sports association in the state of Arizona. It comprises most of the state's public district high schools, various charter and private schools, plus one high school in California San Pasqual High School in Winterhaven, California,...
-member single-sex high schools, along with Brophy College Preparatory
Brophy College Preparatory
Brophy College Preparatory is a Jesuit high school located in Phoenix, Arizona. The school is currently limited to all-male enrollment of approximately 1,200 students. It is operated independently of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix...
/Xavier College Preparatory
Xavier College Preparatory
Xavier College Preparatory is a Catholic, all-female private high school in Phoenix, Arizona. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, drawing students from 120 local schools and transfer students from around the world.-History:...
and Mingus Mountain Academy
Mingus Mountain Academy
Mingus Mountain Academy is a private, all-girls alternative high school in Prescott Valley, Arizona. It is operated by Sequel Youth and Family Services. It is one of four Arizona Interscholastic Association-member single-sex high schools, along with Brophy College Preparatory/Xavier College...
, with which it partners for some events.
Arizona Boys Ranch
The school started as the Arizona Boys Ranch in 1948 and later included several facilities in OracleOracle, Arizona
- Geology :Oracle and the surrounding area sit largely on a slab of granite called "Oracle granite" that is visible as red or grey-and-white speckled "boulders" rising over the scrub and grass. It is mostly porphyritic biotite Precambrian granite with large microcline phenocrysts, and has...
, Queen Creek, and elsewhere. The original mascot in the ABR era was the Spartans, and colors were green and white.
In the 1990s, ABR football was a successful program, making it to three straight state final games in the 3A Conference of the Arizona Interscholastic Association
Arizona Interscholastic Association
The Arizona Interscholastic Association is the major high school sports association in the state of Arizona. It comprises most of the state's public district high schools, various charter and private schools, plus one high school in California San Pasqual High School in Winterhaven, California,...
and three straight losses during the 63-game winning streak of Blue Ridge High School
Blue Ridge High School (Arizona)
Blue Ridge High School is a 3A high school in Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona under the jurisdiction of the Blue Ridge Unified School District.-Notable alumni:*Ann Kirkpatrick, former United States Congresswoman from Arizona's 1st congressional district...
from Pinetop-Lakeside.
On March 2, 1998, Nicholaus Contreraz
Nicholaus Contreraz
Nicholaus Contreraz was a 16-year-old Sacramento, California resident whose torture and death while incarcerated at the Arizona Boys Ranch at the hands of staff members in 1998 made national news in the U.S.-Background:Contreraz witnessed the death of his father, who was a victim of mistaken...
died at the Boys Ranch due to abusive conditions. The result was devastating. On August 27, 1998, the Boys Ranch lost its operating license. It was later reinstated (by October 7), but the effects echoed. Once an AIA 3A school whose enrollment hit 458 kids in 1998 , 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. ABR football collapsed into a mere shadow of its former self.
Frank Kush
Frank Kush
Frank Joseph Kush is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Arizona State University from 1958 to 1979, compiling a record of 176–54–1...
was tied to Boys Ranch football: the colors and mascot were a nod to his alma mater (Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
), and the training facility was named for him. He started working at the ranch in 1986 (after the demise of his Arizona Outlaws
Arizona Outlaws
The Arizona Outlaws were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They were owned by Fresno banker and real estate agent William Tatham, Sr., who had briefly owned the Portland Thunder of the World Football League.- 1984 Oklahoma...
of the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
), later helping to start the football program in 1994.
Canyon State Academy
In March 2000, the name of the school was changed to Canyon State Academy, largely as part of reimaging. Later, new colors and mascot were introduced by new operators Rite of Passage, largely to standardize with some of their other high school programs, such as Silver State Academy in Yerington, NevadaYerington, Nevada
Yerington is a city in Lyon County, located in western Nevada, USA. The population was 2,883 at the 2000 census. It is named after Henry M. Yerington, Superintendent of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad from 1868 to 1910. It is the county seat of Lyon County....
.