Brightmont Academy Empowers Elite Athletes to Balance Sports and Academics

May 4, 2026

Private School Specializing in One-to-One Instruction for Grades 1-12

National — Approximately 91% of high school athletes experience stress balancing sports and academics, with 58% reporting moderate to extreme stress levels. For many student-athletes, the pressure to excel in both areas can feel unsustainable. At Brightmont Academy, an accredited private school offering fully individualized, one-to-one instruction for students in grades 1–12, that reality is both understood and directly addressed through customized scheduling designed to support students pursuing high-level athletics while staying on track academically.


Brightmont serves professional and amateur soccer, hockey, and football players in Illinois, international figure skaters and equestrians in Washington and Colorado, and competitive hockey players in Minnesota – students whose athletic goals require flexibility that traditional school schedules simply cannot provide. Karen Buckner, CEO of Brightmont, recently shared a conversation that highlights just how quickly traditional schedules can overwhelm young athletes. “I actually just was on the phone with a parent today,” said Buckner. "Their child is a 7th grader who is very serious about hockey. He currently attends a traditional public school that runs from 7:20 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.”


Buckner explained that for this student, the school day is only one part of an already packed schedule. “He skates at 5:30, goes to school all day, then has after-school skating and homework on top of that. His mom said it’s burning him out — and she doesn’t want him to have to give up his passion.”


Through Brightmont’s flexible scheduling model, families can reimagine what a balanced day looks like. “What we talked about was coming to Brightmont,” Buckner added. “He could go to morning skate, come to school for a few focused hours, return to afternoon training, and still complete his academic work. Without a flexible schedule built exactly around what he needs, it becomes very difficult to excel at both.” For student-athletes striving for elite levels of competition, time has become their most valuable resource. Brightmont Academy’s individualized approach ensures they don’t have to choose between their education and their athletic future.


Brightmont Academy has campuses across ten states and is currently accepting enrollments.


Brightmont Academy is an accredited private school that provides one-to-one instruction. One experienced teacher works with one student throughout every learning session. Customized full-time programs and individual courses are offered for grades 1-12. Students can also receive individualized tutoring for all 1-12 subjects, study skills, and test prep. Brightmont Academy has served thousands of students since 1999 and has 25 campuses in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Washington.


For more information, call 1-888-521-0887 or visit: www.brightmontacademy.com.


Watch our video: Brightmont Academy - The One-to-One Flexible school - 1st through 12th


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