Mr. Shonti Land’s Calling to Teach: Helping AZVA Students Succeed   

Most people spend years of their lives trying to figure out what they want to do for their career. Mr. Shonti Land is the exception. Mr. Land, principal of Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA), caught the teaching bug when he was in the third grade.  

A young Shonti was asked to help a classmate from the Czech Republic with math and from that moment on, he caught a spark for teaching. Though he pursued several other careers, including becoming a correctional officer and launching the YMCA in Yuma, Arizona, Mr. Land felt academia still calling to him.  

He finished college and while he initially thought he would be a physical education teacher, he ended up pursuing mathematics at the same time. After graduating, he spent 12 years in the classroom and then transitioned to leadership roles such as administrator, academic director and now principal. 

With more than two decades of educational experience, Mr. Land has seamlessly transitioned from a traditional school setting to the dynamic world of online learning with AZVA. His decision to join the virtual education movement was driven by a desire to stay ahead in an evolving nationwide educational landscape.  

“During COVID, I saw many educational institutions shifting to virtual learning and I felt a little lost at first,” said Mr. Land. “The school district that I was part of at the time partnered with Stride and I remember thinking the company was really, really good. So, when the opportunity came up for me to join them I jumped on it because I wanted to learn from the best.” 

Now four years later, Mr. Land is thriving at AZVA and is an advocate for virtual education. He touts online learning as a unique experience where students can learn at their own pace and maintain a flexible schedule. However, the part Mr. Land is most impressed with and surprised about is the ability for students to build strong relationships with teachers through one-on-one support. 

He initially wondered about a teacher’s ability to connect with students in an online environment. But what he found was the exact opposite of what he thought. Through AZVA’s learning platform, students are able to schedule one-on-one time with teachers and this made connecting with students on an individual level much easier and more impactful. His favorite part of being on the AZVA team is the personal connections he makes at celebrations, reoccurring get-togethers, field trips and big in-person events like graduation.  

When he is not working, Mr. Land spends time with his family, watches sports, learns a new recipe, or adventures through the Disney parks. Now that school is out for the summer, Mr. Land and his family will be traveling, with a stop at Disneyland, and enjoying some well-deserved rest at home.   

From the time he was a student in third grade to his role as principal at AZVA, Mr. Land has always had the same goal: educate, support and give students the tools they need to succeed.