With the world at a student’s fingertips and trends shifting by the second, how should we think about the purpose of education? Is it the mere acquisition of information, or is it more than that? Something greater than the sum of its parts? Is there not more to education than the development of mere skills? Something greater about education is the development of one’s soul. One’s character. One’s purpose.

Often times, modern educational approaches are well-intentioned, yet focus on measurable outcomes and transient skills at the expense of character development. This leaves many parents feeling that their children are not really learning anything useful, and their children feeling unprepared to navigate a complex world. Is there a school out there that is both college- and career-focused but also instills strong, lasting character? Is there a place that truly values character? Is it possible for a school to prepare students for the real world with the skills needed in college or employment?

At Utah’s Maeser Academy, a charter school for high school students, we teach that education ignites within students the power to do good. While our high school curriculum follows a classical liberal arts approach, focusing not just on content mastery or skills development, but also on moral and intellectual virtue and formation of a noble character, we understand that the purpose of education is not simply to hand students a piece of paper that signifies their mastery of a body of content or a particular set of skills. A school diploma alone will not make a student wise and virtuous and honorable. The goal, instead, is the transformation of our students into wise and virtuous citizens of their communities and the world. We focus not just on building knowledge bases and preparing students for higher ed. We also focus on character formation. We also focus on virtue education. And at our Utah County college prep school, we are a public charter high school where character development is just as important as academic excellence.

Consider Socratic seminars. Our high school students aren’t just absorbing facts. They’re learning to think critically. Developing virtue. Learning how to articulate their thoughts. They aren’t just learning how to read and analyze text. They’re learning to listen to and respect their classmates. They’re learning to engage with one another with humility. They’re learning how to speak clearly and with respect for others.

In our Great Books program, students explore the timeless truths and moral questions that have defined civilization since the beginning of human existence. We focus not just on knowledge. But on virtue as well. And we teach Truth and Honor. Students in our Maeser Academy are not only learning how to navigate a college academic curriculum, but are also learning about Truth and Honor and Virtue in a way that will help them in college as well as in their community and beyond. Our students’ intellectual and moral development is enhanced and enhanced by an approach to learning and education that is both rigorous and values-based.

Our Maeser Honor Code provides the foundation for our high school experience. It is a place where our students feel that they are a part of something bigger than themselves, and it is also a place where they understand that their actions matter. That they will be held accountable for what they say. That their behavior will be consistent with the values that our school champions. Maeser Academy is a community where students are known and supported. With small class sizes and dedicated faculty, we provide students with a personalized learning environment where they’re known and cared for and where they are challenged academically to reach their greatest potential and also where they’re challenged morally to reach their greatest potential. The result is that our students go on to attend some of the nation’s most prestigious universities and are often successful scholars with strong academic credentials (like our #1 in Utah SAT average of 1330) but are also strong people who bring something more than just their academic skills to bear in whatever field of endeavor they choose.

FAQ About Virtue-Based Education

1. What does it mean for Maeser Academy to offer “virtue-based” education? We provide our students not just with a strong academic education but also with a commitment to and instruction in virtue development (moral and intellectual). Our curriculum and extracurriculars are designed to help students grow their character in ways that will make them both ethical and successful, focusing on virtues like Truth, Honor, Courage, Diligence, and Wisdom.
2. How does classical liberal arts education prepare students to think and develop virtue? Students in our school don’t just memorize facts or learn a set of skills. Instead, they are exposed to classic texts (called “The Great Books”) that have been the foundation of civilization since antiquity and that help them think about Truth and Virtue. They engage in dialogue and debate that challenge them to question their ideas, develop new insights, and learn to express themselves clearly. They grow in their ability to reason, and to think deeply about ethical and philosophical questions that have challenged humanity for centuries.
3. Do you provide religious instruction at Maeser Academy? Maeser Academy is a public charter school. Our curriculum does include philosophical inquiry into the values that have shaped Western civilization, but we do not teach the tenets of any one religion. Our approach is to promote universal values, rather than specific religious dogma.
4. What are my child’s chances of admission to top schools in the US if they attend Maeser Academy? We prepare our students for admission to top US colleges. We have been in operation for 12 years and our graduates have been admitted into top schools (such as Duke, Stanford, Harvard, MIT, and Johns Hopkins) at a rate higher than our Utah peers. We have one of the highest college acceptance rates and college scholarship rates in our state and our graduates are frequently offered top-tier scholarships at our state’s universities.
5. Does Maeser Academy only teach to prepare students for college? No. Our goal is not simply to prepare our students for college. We want to help them become successful in life. Our students graduate with strong reading and writing skills, and they graduate with strong character. They are well-rounded, and they are well-prepared for college but also for their lives beyond high school, whether that be through employment, volunteerism, or service to their community or country.
6. What does this mean for parents? We encourage parental involvement and provide resources to help parents understand and support the virtues we teach at Maeser Academy. Our goal is to work together with families to create an environment where students thrive academically and morally. We want to support parents and students in creating an environment where students can thrive academically and morally and where students can learn and grow in ways that will help them become successful, ethical adults.

Discover more about what our school offers to students and to families. Visit our website and learn more about enrollment at Maeser Academy, a Utah County charter school.