Our MISSION is to empower young adults to prepare for life and realize their dreams, now.

Our VISION is a world where all people are prepared for life, empowered to realize their dreams, and compassionately serve others.

AI is cool and supportive, but it does not replace community. We use AI to accelerate learning and goal achievement.

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Core Values

Self-Awareness

I am always learning new things about myself.

I know what I need to feel my best and give myself what I need.

I understand how my feelings and actions affect those around me.

Initiative

I take action on my own.

I lead others by first leading myself.

I am the only person who can make my dreams happen.

Innovation

I enjoy testing my new ideas.

My unique ideas help other people.

I am creative and think of better/faster ways to do things.

Changemaking

The work I do has a positive impact on others.

Anywhere I visit, I leave the place better than I found it.

I have the power to change the world.

Compassion

I express my care for others through words and actions.

My words and actions make other people feel better.

I seek to first understand people before saying or assuming anything.

Who We Are

Vita High School is a modern, learner-driven Montessori environment for teens seeking an education that transcends rote memorization and standardized tests. We place the student at the heart of the learning process—our faculty members guide, inspire, and empower adolescents to discover their passions and take ownership of their education.

Founded on the belief that every young person deserves the freedom to learn and grow at their own pace, Vita High School incorporates proven Montessori methods with 21st-century skills. Our goal is to equip students with the critical thinking abilities, resilience, and sense of purpose they need to succeed in college and beyond.

Vita is the world's first AI-powered Montessori-style high school. Learners ultimately self-actualize with the support of educators and AI. Additionally, AI helps with strong individualized academics, allowing learners to progress much faster.

Our Learner-Driven Montessori Philosophy

Student-Centered Classrooms: Teachers act as mentors, offering structure and support while allowing students to direct their own studies.

Mastery Over Grades: We focus on mastery-based assessment—students progress once they’ve truly understood a concept, rather than being pushed along by the calendar.

Real-World Application: Project-based learning and community engagement help students connect classroom concepts to practical, real-world scenarios.

Holistic Development: Adolescence is a crucial period of growth. Vita’s integrated approach fosters independence, empathy, leadership, and social responsibility.

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Theory of Change

Our Story

Vita High School was born out of a vision to reimagine industrial style education. Our founders (Founder Andrew Lee and Co-Founder Rio Stinger), both Teach for America alumni, recognized the need for a more relevant, empowering educational model for teens. What began as a small summer camp has grown into a vibrant high school, where each student’s unique gifts are honored and cultivated.

Vita's History

May 2016 - 2018

Teach for America

May 2016 - 2018
Teach for America
Andrew & Rio serve in Teach for America, earning their M.Ed's and teaching certificates in Arizona. Andrew's high school math class is scoring 80-90% averages on exams, outperforming his placement school by 20-30%.

June 2017

Passive Income
Founder, Andrew Lee, discovers "passive income" and works to build passive income to supplement his $38,000 teacher salary. Founder invests in online courses and later has his first 5 figure month - through art, Amazon FBA, and social media. Founder learns that personal development (inner-work, self-image) is crucial to success. Founder wonders why school doesn't teach this.

February 2018
"Serial School Founder"

Founder meets a "Serial School Founder" at a Teach for America workshop, Andrew Collins, and something sparks! Ideas begin brewing about what school could look like. Master's courses discussions conveniently aid in this process. Founder is suggested to visit schools and apply to different incubator programs like Moonshot, Camelback, 4.0 Schools. He applies to many and is rejected by most...

August 2020 - 2022

Incubation

February 2020

4.0 Schools Round 1

Founder, Andrew Lee, is accepted into 4.0 School's Essentials Fellowship! They provide curriculum to test out ideas, a mentor, $300 to pilot the idea, and a data infographic of your pilot! Founder attends the LAST in-person training in New Orleans before COVID-19 strikes. Founder pilots exercise about discovering one's purpose via zoom with 9 participants during COVID-19. Every student completes the exercise with impressive results and newfound clarity.

August 2020

Life School of Atlanta

Founder's 4.0 Schools Mentor's (Denise Streeter) Daughter (Mikala Streeter) runs an independent high school similar to Vita. Founder completes school founding apprenticeship at the Life School of Atlanta in Georgia, researching and journaling 100+ pages/documents for Vita, visiting schools, helping to run the Life School (setting up ACT, organizing supplies, events, teaching, etc.).

January 2021

Nonprofit Status

Vita Education Foundation (dba Vita Schools of Innovation) is officially recognized as a nonprofit 501(c)3 entity.

June 2021
4.0 Schools Round 2 (Rio Joins!)

Founder, Andrew Lee returns to home. Rio joins the team! Vita completes 4.0 Schools' New Normal Fellowship. In this fellowship, there is still coaching and curriculum, but now there is $10,000 in funding to pilot. Vita pilots their Purpose and Life Curriculum in 4 different high school classrooms and hosts their first summer camp. Vita completes 4.0 Schools' pilot "Pathways Fellowship," developing organizational documents vital to securing Vita's future partnership with Edkey.

May 2021

New School Creation Fellowship
Vita is accepted to High Tech High's New School Creation Fellowship ($10,000 funding). Founder visits many different innovative schools with fellow school founders and leaders. Founder's mentor, Sam Seidel, suggests he connect with a certain CEO to learn about how their school finances work...

November 2021 - 2022

Launch

November 2021

Edkey Partnership

Founder's email to the CEO of Edkey (as suggested by mentor, Sam Seidel) leads to a partnership. Vita will be a high school program! Students enroll with Sequoia Choice (accredited online charter high school within Edkey), but attend Vita, using Vita's programming. It's time to get rolling! Vita's first year begins August 2022!

March 2022

Facility Secured

While enrolling students at Phoenix International Academy, their founder recommends local church as facility. Founder tours it with Executive Pastor in that moment and it is perfect. The next week, Vita had a facility. The Vita team furiously recruits through summer, knocking on doors. Rio's father paints the facility walls for free. Furniture is procured. Friday, August 5th approaches!

August 2022

Vita Opens

Vita begins its first year with 24 students and 2 educators, Rio and Andrew. First day of school was Friday, August 5th. Vita receives $80,000 from the Innovation Fund from A for Arizona to pilot Vita's first year.

May 2023 - Present

Vita Grows

May 2023

Vita End of Year 1

Vita ends its first year with 30 students and 4 staff. The first year is a wild success. See Testimonials. Highlights: massive credit recovery, student businesses generating thousands of dollars, 40% ACT score increase, Vita's 1st graduate, and the heartwarming stories shared by Vita's families!

March 2025

Vita Year 3 Update - Rebranding!

Vita serves approximately 50 students with 5 staff members in its third year (or seasons for years, episodes for weeks). Co-Founder Rio Stinger serves as school director, leading the school daily. Founder Andrew Lee focuses on school business, innovating learner-driven education through collaboration. Vita has improved its program and processes each year and is preparing to assist other schools to become more successful and "Learner-Driven". Vita changes its name from "Vita Schools of Innovation" (vsihq) to "Vita High School" (vitahighschool). New logo! This is done for business purposes, to allow people to easily understand who we are.

Portrait of a Graduate

At Vita High School, our vision is to graduate young adults who are prepared not only for college and career, but for purposeful, connected, and independent lives. Every Vita graduate embodies four core identities:

1. High-Level Thinker

Graduates are rigorous, analytical thinkers who can learn at the university level and beyond. They:

Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through Socratic discussions of key texts and advanced mathematics (e.g., Calculus I).
Build college readiness with research, critical reading, and analytical writing skills.
Practice “learning how to learn” through metacognitive strategies and self-directed study techniques.
Master written and verbal communication for academic, professional, and personal success.
Cultivate the ability to make thoughtful decisions and articulate ideas clearly across diverse contexts.

2. Money Maker, Manager, Investor

Graduates are financially literate and capable of generating and managing resources responsibly. They:

Gain practical financial literacy in personal finance, budgeting, credit, savings, taxes, and investing.
Explore employment starting with Vita-based student jobs, advancing to external work experiences and apprenticeships.
Create resumes, cover letters, and secure real jobs or internships.
Develop entrepreneurial skills through one-page business plans, pilot projects, and seed funding opportunities (competitions, guardian contributions, crowdfunding).
Learn to balance work and learning by setting healthy limits and managing real-world responsibilities.

3. Master of Self

Graduates know themselves deeply and can direct their own lives with clarity, discipline, and resilience. They:

Set and achieve goals using frameworks such as Dream Vision, 3-Year Targets, 1-Year Plans, Quarterly Rocks, and SMART week/day planning.
Build resilience through SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) tools, the 87 Emotions Chart, SEL workshops, and purpose-driven curriculum.
Practice self-regulation and self-mastery through the Think–Feel–Do cycle, grit, perseverance, and disciplined routines.
Discover personal passions and purpose through reflection, goal setting, and mental health strategies.
Enhance emotional intelligence by managing emotions in alignment with long-term goals and relationships.

4. Connected Community Contributor

Graduates understand that connection is at the heart of a meaningful life and actively contribute to their communities. They:

Build belonging with others, family, and community, recognizing that connection is the opposite of isolation (inspired by Brene Brown’s work).
Participate in service learning by combining personal passions with community projects to meet real needs.
Engage in civic life through apprenticeships, service projects, and partnerships with local organizations.
Learn life skills from community mentors and, in turn, teach skills to others.
Embrace a win-win mindset of service, compassion, and positive changemaking that benefits both self and society

Portrait of an Educator

At Vita High School, educators—whether serving as academic guides or life coaches—are more than teachers. They are mentors, models, and facilitators of growth who embody the values and practices they seek to instill in students.

A Vita educator is:

Purpose Driven: Lives with clarity and direction, actively pursuing their own dreams and purpose. Their personal example shows students what it looks like to design and live a meaningful life.
Practically Skilled: Applies real world life skills in finances, health, relationships, and self management, modeling the very competencies we expect of our graduates.
Empowering Guide: Encourages students to take the lead whenever possible, creating structures where learners practice agency, responsibility, and leadership.
Curator of Struggle: Recognizes that growth comes from healthy productive struggle. Rather than rescuing students with quick answers, they design and hold space for challenges that stretch learners and build resilience.
Compassionate Challenger: Balances empathy and accountability, offering support while holding high expectations so that students rise to their best selves.
Innovator and Learner: Embraces creativity, experimentation, and continuous self improvement, demonstrating the mindset of lifelong learning.
Community Builder: Creates belonging and collaboration among students, staff, families, and community partners, reinforcing that connection is the opposite of isolation.

Declaration of Powerful Learning

Purpose

At Vita High School we believe that powerful learning is the force that transforms lives. We make this declaration so that every student, educator, and family understands how learning occurs here, why it matters, and what we expect one another to do so that our mission of preparing young adults for life and helping them realize their dreams now becomes real.

Beliefs About Learning

Learning is student centered — learners have voice and choice, take leadership over their growth, and are active agents in discovering their purpose.
Learning is built through productive struggle — real challenges, not handouts. Educators design experiences where learners must think deeply, wrestle with complexity, and grow through effort.
Learning is both practical and transferable — skills and knowledge go beyond school walls to real life; financial literacy, self management, adaptability matter.
Learning is authentic and meaningful — work has purpose, connects to the world beyond the classroom and serves community.
Learning is relational and reflective — relationships, feedback, and self awareness are central; students reflect often on how they are growing.

What Powerful Learning Looks Like in Practice

Every student engages in weekly life skills and coaching time that explicitly builds adult competencies (money management, health, communication, resilience).
Students are entrusted with leadership through roles (student jobs, student council, peer support) rather than always being directed by adults.
Curriculum and projects include authentic tasks with real audience, community engagement, service, field experiences.
Assessment includes self reflection, peer feedback, and opportunities for revision rather than only final grades.
Struggle is expected, scaffolded, and supported; teachers coach rather than fix; students are given space to persist.

Implications for Educators, Students, and School Culture

Educators commit to growing in their ability to guide, not rescue; to create safe and challenge balanced spaces.
Staff development will include training in design of powerful learning, feedback, struggle, student agency.
Schedules intentionally include time for life skills, purpose work, and experiences that align with the Graduate Profile.
Policies, rewards, recognition (including leveling up) will honor not just content mastery but growth in self mastery, agency, compassion, and contribution.