Alturas Preparatory Academy

06/24/2026

McKenzie Garcia got her Bachelor’s degree from Idaho State University in Secondary Education
with endorsements in Biology and English as a Second Language. Garcia chose a focus in Biology because she is astonished by the true complexity and mystery to be learned and discovered in science, from the micro level (atoms) to the macro level (galaxies).
Mrs. Garcia is eager to be a part of Alturas Preparatory Academy culture; especially, encouraging students to explore and take ownership of their learning. She is looking forward to new challenges and opportunities in inquiry-based learning for the upcoming school year!
Garcia has had valuable experience teaching cross-culturally in Namibia and Zambia for a total of five months. Her time in Namibia inspired her to pursue a career in teaching.
Her previous work experience consists of creative freelance work in event management, marketing, sales, graphic design, lawncare, housekeeping, DoorDash, and photography. She has been employed in food service, cashiering, and most recently, as a substitute teacher for local school District #93.
Mrs. Garcia was married to her husband in 2025 and has aspirations to soon buy land, design and build their own home. Outside of work, she is enthusiastic about traveling, enjoys backpacking, cooking, reading, and spending time with family.

06/23/2026

06/22/2026

Braden Shaffer teaches middle school ELA at Alturas Preparatory Academy. They graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor’s in English Education, earning the coveted A-pin, a spot on the Dean’s List, and a program GPA of 4.0.

As a firm believer in the world-changing potential of every student, Braden is thrilled to join the Alturas team and help students become engaged global citizens.

Braden’s professional interests include poetry and literary analysis. Besides work, they enjoy playing sports like pickleball and basketball, spending time at the gym, and any activities with loved ones.

06/20/2026

Mr. Smith is a new science teacher at Alturas Preparatory Academy. He grew up an hour from Idaho Falls in Ashton graduating from North Fremont High school.When indoors he enjoys playing guitar and writing music. He can also be found outdoors fishing, running, or exploring.

He received his bachelor’s degree in biology with an emphasis in neuroscience at Brigham Young University-Idaho. His extracurriculars included working as a mentor for autistic and freshman students. As part of his education, he interned at the U.C Davis M.I.N.D Institute working with monkey and rat brains. Smith has participated in many research projects involving imaging cells, body image perception, and CRISPR gene editing at BYU-I. He also received his master’s in secondary education from Western Governors University.

Mr. Smith is excited to teach at Alturas because he likes the model for teachers teaching smaller groups at one time, and acting as facilitators in student learning. He believes that this is essential because all too often at other schools students are overlooked. Also, learning is more than memorizing facts-it is about interacting with information and developing solutions independent of subject content. He believes a person’s abilities are limited or enhanced by expectations; therefore, he sets high expectations for his students and for himself.

06/17/2026

Carter Stucki serves as a history teacher at APA. Carter grew up with a military parent and moved frequently from state to state, living in Texas, Louisiana, North Dakota, and Virginia. After graduating from high school in 2017, he went on to live in three of Canada’s beautiful provinces—Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia. The diverse people he met there taught him more about life than he could have learned on his own. These experiences inspired in him a deep love for the peoples of the universe—not only Terrans, but all intelligent life—and an urgent desire to learn and understand their histories and cultures.
He began his study of people at Brigham Young University–Idaho and graduated in 2024 with a BA in History. He and his forever partner, Brylei Harris, met in Ririe before beginning this journey together and now have three beautiful children. Nothing is more important or fulfilling to him than being a companion to her and a father to them.
His other hobbies include aquarium keeping and reading, with dystopian science fiction being his favorite genre. While history and anthropology are his calling, one of his lifelong passions is biology—specifically microbiology, or life invisible to the eye.

06/16/2026

🌍✈️ Join us for an unforgettable student travel experience to Peru! 🇵🇪

Open to high school students (with parents invited too!), this educational adventure includes:
✅ Round-trip airfare & transportation
✅ College or high school credit opportunities
✅ Medical and emergency travel insurance
✅ Centrally located hotels
✅ Daily breakfast and three-course dinners
✅ Expert tour directors, local guides, and 24/7 support
✅ Hands-on learning through WorldStrides’ LEAP!
✅ Entrance fees and transportation to all activities

Travel, learn, explore, and earn credit while experiencing Peru!

For more information and to enroll, visit: http://www.educationaltravel.com/Carr-257

Sign up before June 17th and save $300 off the tour fee! The voucher code is EarlyEnrollment2027, and you can apply this at checkout. If you sign up now, not only will you get a better value, but the monthly payments will also be lower.

06/12/2026

End of year High School trip to Lagoon! 🎢🎡🎠

06/12/2026

Can our teacher identify her students by their voices?