Meet Stacy Jantzi

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stacy Jantzi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stacy, how does your business help the community?
In AZ, we have been present for over 30 years, in fact some of the team that arrived from IL to help set sites up are still with the organization as a significant part of the framework that has empowered Menta AZ since inception. For me personally, for nearly nine years, at Menta Academy Yuma, we woven ourselves into the fabric of the Yuma community by supporting children with Autism, emotional disabilities, and many more diverse learning needs (per IEP eligibility). Our impact is built on the belief that no family should have to navigate these challenges alone.​ We take pride in our deep-rooted partnerships with local school districts across Yuma County, Arizona, and California—including Crane, Yuma Union, Desert View, Gadsden, Somerton, San Pasqual, Imperial, and Brawley—ensuring their students have access to the specialized resources they deserve.​ Beyond the classroom, we collaborate with a massive network of local heroes: from therapists and mental health professionals to the Yuma Police Department, the Elks, and local media like Z93 and The Yuma Sun. We also love bringing the community together through inclusive events, like our annual Trunk or Treat, which provides a safe, joyful space for the entire exceptional needs community. For us, social impact isn’t just a goal—it’s about being a dedicated neighbor and a lifeline for our families. We seek to provide support directly and indirectly; from the moment we are introduced to a family, we tour, we build relationships, and we set goals as a team with the student in the driver’s seat.

What should our readers know about your business?
What was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It’s actually a unique story because I didn’t start the business—The Menta Education Group’s history goes back much further than mine. In fact, in 1973, an educator with a mission and a vision was all it took. For me, however, I was given the incredible opportunity to lead a team in building our Menta Academy Yuma campus from the ground up.​ It all started with a single phone call from a Yuma mom reaching out to our Southwest Academy campus in 2016, simply asking for help. That’s where Menta does what it does best: finding innovative solutions to critical problems. That one call sparked meetings, built partnerships, and eventually led us to open a therapeutic day school in a city that desperately needed those resources. Nearly nine years later, it’s been a beautiful, impactful journey. I’m so proud to be part of the team that made it happen, but more importantly, to work with my incredible partners locally, across Arizona, and across The Menta Education Group as a whole.

Risk taking: How do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?
In our field, the most significant risk is the one we avoid: the hesitation to implement new, or challenging interventions out of fear of failure or that a child may struggle. My “risk-taking” is a professional imperative—a moral obligation—to be creative, persistent, and courageous on behalf of those we serve. It means exploring every possible avenue to ensure a child reaches their full potential, which often requires leaving the familiar path, working with other professionals in and out of our organization. Let me draw an analogy from the special needs parent experience: a diagnosis presents a crossroads. One path involves pushing forward, which will inevitably cause discomfort and face skepticism, but in the heart, you know it leads to milestones and transforms “non-believers” into supporters and outsiders to partners. The alternative is the path of least resistance: prioritizing comfort, avoiding the necessary push, and failing to hold yourself, your child, and others accountable for what is truly possible. Our goal isn’t just to be a trailblazer; it is to collaboratively blaze a trail that the child is ready to approach with us.

What is the most important factor behind the success of our brand?
The success of the Menta Education Group brand, particularly here in Yuma, is rooted in two inseparable factors: unwavering community commitment and our collaborative, solution-finding approach to specialized education. First, commitment to community is our foundation. The entire Yuma campus was built from a single, critical need: a phone call from a local parent asking for help. We didn’t impose a solution; we responded to a need and immediately began building partnerships. Our brand’s integrity rests on being a dedicated neighbor, as evidenced by our collaborations with school districts, local authorities, mental health professionals, and even local media.
Second, our solution-finding approach is the engine. The Menta model is defined by finding innovative solutions to critical problems. This requires a culture where we are not afraid to blaze a trail that the child is ready to approach. We succeed because we operate with the belief that the risk not taken—the risk of not trying something new—is the greatest risk of all.

How to know whether to keep going or give up?
Personally, I am only nine years into my commitment to The Menta Education Group and Menta Academy Yuma. When we first opened as a community collaboration, we had just a few students; by the conclusion of the first year, we found that the model of direct and indirect support was highly welcomed. It is—and never will be—about how many students we can get; it will always be about how we support the students, families, and districts by building the bridge to what’s next, present and the future goals.
This also applies to our organization. While 53 years ago it was one student and one teacher forming our foundation, I cannot see a moment where “keep going” is not a part of who I am. As an organization, there is no such thing as giving up. In our world, we are driven by the motto: “We will never give up on a child.” It fuels us as individuals and provides the momentum for the organization.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Yuma has so much to offer! Our outside is vast, we have The Lemon Grove locations, Cafecito, and other beautifully organic places to enjoy the sounds of the birds, allow the kids to run, play, and explore while enjoying some local foody favorites. We have some of the most beautiful parks along the water to continue to outdoor theme, pack a picnic and enjoy the facilities along the water. Now as far as absolutely delicious local food with a little historical haunting charm, I would absolutely continue to take friends and family to the Prison Hill Brewery downtown on Main Street. Maybe even consider a stop by Black Onyz Empire Tattoo for a more permanent memory!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband and my children are my greatest cheerleaders in every aspect of my life. I have also been blessed to work with some of the best people in the field and in my community. Joining The Menta Education Group provided the opportunity to find like minded, driven, passionate people and being able to work with them in a variety of organizational goals has been a significant part of my professional growth.

Website: https://menta.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentaacademyyuma/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MentaAcademyYuma/

Image Credits
Maria Lopez, Menta Social Media Director AZ