Reclaim childhood. Rekindle human freedom.

Acton Upcountry exists to equip young people to courageously create the lives they would love to live. A learner-driven learning center for ages 5-9 in Upcountry Maui, Hawaii.

Discover our school

"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 Upcountry is one of the most important education developments in the world."

Tom Vander Ark, CEO of Getting Smart

"This is the kind of school I wished I had as a kid, to grow up super entrepreneurial."

Gary Vaynerchuk, Entrepreneur

Play

Experience how we're transforming education in this documentary.

What makes Acton Upcountry different?

01

Young people doing challenging work at their own pace.

02

Collaborating on real-world projects.

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.

Our Beliefs

We believe clear thinking leads to good decisions, good decisions lead to the right habits, the right habits forge character, and character determines destiny.

1

We believe each person has a gift that can change the world in a profound way.
2

We believe in learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be.
3

We believe in a closely connected family of life-long learners.
4

We believe in economic, political, and religious freedom.

Our Promises

We promise through Socratic guiding and experiential learning to encourage each member of our community to:

1

Begin a Hero's Journey,
2

Discover precious gifts and a commitment to mastery.
3

Become a curious, independent, life-long learner.
4

Embrace the forging of a strong character.
5

Cherish the arts, the physical world, and the mysteries of life.
6

Treasure economic, political, and religious freedom.

The Elementary 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.

Schedule a Call

Play

01:21

The Hero's Journey

Follow @actonupcountry on Instagram to learn more!

Learn more about how Acton Upcountry turns learning upside down.

A remarkable book that captures the powerful journeys of Acton Upcountry'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.