Will your young hero accept the Call to Adventure?

Acton Academy Placer is a 21st-century school where young heroes grow through curiosity, character, and real-world learning.

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“I am confident that any randomly-selected ten-year-old from Acton would have succeeded instantly where at least some MIT graduates failed.”Matt Greenfield, Rethink Education

“The most amazing outcome at Acton is that young heroes there are genuinely enthralled with learning. Simply said, they LOVE school.”Heather Staker, Ready to Blend

"Acton Academy is one of the most important education developments in the world."Tom Vander Ark, CEO of Getting Smart

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Experience how we're transforming education in this documentary.

“The most amazing outcome at Acton is that young heroes there are genuinely enthralled with learning. Simply said, they LOVE school.”Heather Staker, Ready to Blend

“I am confident that any randomly-selected ten-year-old from Acton would have succeeded instantly where at least some MIT graduates failed.”Matt Greenfield, Rethink Education

"Acton Academy is one of the most important education developments in the world."Tom Vander Ark, CEO of Getting Smart

Ordinary World

Our hero begins their story, predestined for so much more than perhaps they may even be aware. More than they believe themselves capable of.

Cross the Threshold

The call to adventure comes knocking on our hero's front door, and they know it won't be without its challenges. Bravely, they step outside of the world they know and enter into the unknown.

Meet the Mentor

The hero encounters a wise figure who prepares him for the journey. The mentor's job isn't to teach them the "what", it's to support them in figuring out the "how".

Approach

Now, having prepared, our hero, and often his allies, have come to the edge of the dangerous place where the "object of the quest" is hidden.

Challenge / Ordeal

The hero faces their biggest fears. Every challenge he has endured thus far has led them to this moment. Will he succeed in the ultimate trial?

Reward

Our hero prevails and takes possession of the object =  the best treasure of all - self-awareness and growth.

Return

The triumphant hero returns to the ordinary world bearing a heightened level of love, freedom, wisdom, or knowledge. And the cycle begins again.

What makes
Acton Academy Placer different?

01
Young people doing challenging work at their own pace.
Kids learning at Acton
Acton Campus in Austin
02
Collaborating on real-world projects.
Girl in Acton Campus
03
Earning points for effort and badges for mastery.
04
Sharing learning in a tightly bound community.
05
Using the latest technology to master reading, writing, and math.
06
On a Hero’s Journey, with challenges, adventures, fellow travelers, and guides.
The Spark Studio
The Threshold Studio
The Launchpad Studio
The Discovery Studio

Learner-driven communities run by heroes-in-the-making

Self-management and self-governance are celebrated daily by learners who use 21st Century skills to tackle real world projects, inspired by classic heroes in a tightly bound community with extremely high standards.

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01:21
The Hero's Journey
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Learn more about how Acton Academy turns learning upside down.
"A remarkable book that captures the powerful journeys of Acton Academy’s founders, students, parent community, and — I hope — the future of education around the globe. Any school, whether traditional or innovative, will gain insights from this magical place.”
Ted Dintersmith
Education Author, Film Producer, and Philanthropist
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Our Mission
We believe each person who enters our doors deserves to find a calling and change the world.
"I would never have believed children could learn so much from each other...
until I saw it with my own eyes. The lessons of self-management and self-governance have prepared our fifth-grade daughter to be a lifelong learner.”
Parent, Elementary Studio
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