The Academy Schools – History of Success

The MISSION of The Academy Schools is to place students in a positive, productive environment, one which fosters success and nurtures the self accomplishment which naturally follows.

In 1982, founder Samuel A. Costanzo opened their first school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the request of juvenile court judges who were seeking a healthy alternative to the institutionalization of Allegheny County youth.

The Academy Schools has never forgotten their core mission of combining rigorous educational curricula with extensive clinical treatment, counseling services, trade skills training and athletics. They seek to capture students in their finest moments, emphasizing their successes and never letting them revert to anything less than their best.

It’s a philosophy—indeed, an entire system—that works wonders.

We expect great things from the young men who reside at The Summit Academy.

Located on a 122-acre campus in rural Butler County, Pennsylvania, The Summit Academy is a private, residential school for at-risk young men, ages 13-19 in grades 7-12. The school provides a trauma-informed, multi-faceted approach to rehabilitation and recovery for students who have experienced substantial trauma and challenges in their past.  Interweaving academics, substance abuse treatment, mental health therapy, counseling, trades training, community service, arts and athletics, we provide a transforming environment and unwavering support system that allows these young men to redirect their lives and futures.

Through each experience and opportunity provided at Summit Academy, healing and restoration give rise to increased confidence, self-awareness and competency development.  Ultimately, surrounded by support and encouragement, they excel.