Our Story
Growing up, I attended a mixed-age classroom for elementary school, but traditional schooling—especially college—left me bored and disengaged. I rediscovered my love for learning after college through self-directed research and internships. When I moved to Maui 12 years ago, I heard troubling stories about the local school system. I couldn't send my kids to a conventional school, and homeschooling lacked the social interaction I valued. That's why I started an Acton Academy—to create an engaging, learner-driven environment where kids can thrive socially and academically. We're thrilled with our incredible first year at Acton Upcountry! Our Lead Guide and Co-founder, Chelsey, fully embraced the Acton model and brought it to life in a powerful way for our learners. We're excited to begin our second year this August 2026.
Paul Gurrieri
Acton Upcountry Founder
Our Campus
Our learning center is a private membership association located in a beautiful home just two minutes down Naalae Road in upcountry Kula. We're currently planning to relocate to a more central spot in the Makawao/Pukalani area — either later this year or in 2027 — to better serve our families.
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.
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We believe each person has a gift that can change the world in a profound way.
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We believe in learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be.
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We believe in a closely connected family of life-long learners.
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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:
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Begin a Hero's Journey,
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Discover precious gifts and a commitment to mastery.
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Become a curious, independent, life-long learner.
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Embrace the forging of a strong character.
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Cherish the arts, the physical world, and the mysteries of life.
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Treasure economic, political, and religious freedom.
Our Team
Paul Gurrieri
Co-Founder & Director
Aloha! My name is Paul Gurrieri. I'm a father and stepfather to six wonderful children, ages 2 to 8. My wife Jennifer and I are a blended family — each of us bringing three kids into our home. Jennifer is an incredible partner who plays a huge role in keeping both our family and our business running smoothly.
At Acton Upcountry, we believe in empowering young people to take ownership of their education through a learner-driven environment. With innovative tools like the "Journey Tracker," real-world experiences such as the annual Children's Business Fair, and a constantly evolving curriculum shaped by a global network of Acton Academies, we are committed to helping young learners discover their passions and develop the skills they need to thrive.
Chelsey Placer
Acton Upcountry Lead Guide & Co-Founder
For more than twenty years, I have had the privilege of working alongside children and young people. What continues to inspire me most is witnessing the unique potential within every learner and the joy of watching them step more fully into who they are becoming.
My work has always been rooted in a desire to better understand how people grow into themselves. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Child Development, a Master of Arts in Contemplative Education, and my Waldorf Teacher Certification. Eighteen years ago, I moved to Maui to pursue my work in education and have called the island home ever since.
Over the course of my career, I have worked primarily with elementary and middle school-aged learners. I spent more than a decade in Waldorf education, where I guided a class from first through eighth grade and later mentored new teachers. Throughout my own educational journey, I was fortunate to learn from Master Teachers and Mentors who met me in the moment and encouraged me to discover my own path. Their example continues to inspire and shape my work as a Guide today.
As both an educator and a mother of three, I believe education should be deeply connected to life. Young people learn best when they are trusted with meaningful responsibility, challenged to think for themselves, and given opportunities to apply what they are learning in the world around them. These beliefs ultimately drew me to Acton's learner-driven model and its faith in the potential of every child.
One of my deepest convictions is that every learner has a place and something valuable to contribute. Children are still becoming, and I don't believe they should be defined by a single moment, challenge, or label. One of the greatest gifts we can offer a young person is to hold space for who they are today, while never losing sight of who they might become.
I am grateful to be helping build Acton Upcountry and a learning community where young people are trusted, challenged, and inspired to discover their unique gifts. My hope is that learners meet the future with a strong inner compass, confidence in who they are, and the flexibility and range of being to navigate many different paths in life.
When I'm not in the Studio, you'll likely find me reading in the sunshine, tinkering and dreaming in the garden, or following my curiosity toward a new passion. I love that my life calls me to live every day as an adventure with my husband and my children!
Our Advisors
Jeff Sandefer
Co-Founder - Acton Academy
Jeff Sandefer lives a dual life as an entrepreneur and a Socratic Guide. As an entrepreneur, he founded his first company at age 16 and went on to found or co-found seven successful businesses. As a Socratic teacher at the University of Texas, Jeff's students five times voted him the school's Outstanding Teacher and Businessweek named him one of the top Entrepreneurship professors in America.
Jeff went on to co-found the Acton School of Business, an MBA program perennially ranked by the Princeton Review among the best in the nation. In 2012 The Economist honored him as one of the top fifteen Business School professors in the world.
Jeff is a graduate of the Harvard Business School, where he served for over twenty years on the school's governing committees. He was a longtime director of the Philanthropy Roundtable and National Review magazine and one of the youngest members ever elected to the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
Laura Sandefer
Co-Founder - Acton Academy
Laura lived on both US coasts and in between as a child, then settled into Vanderbilt University for her undergraduate studies in the College of Arts and Science. After being awarded the highly competitive Walter Wattles Fellowship at Lloyd's of London, Laura worked in the aviation insurance industry in New York City.
Deciding to follow her calling into the world of education, Laura returned to Nashville and earned her Master of Education at Peabody College. This led her to her work at the Oklahoma Arts Institute, creating fine arts education programs for teachers and talented high school students.
Laura married Jeff Sandefer and is the happy mother of Sam and Charlie and step-mother to Taite. It is the inspiration of these children that led Laura and Jeff to co-found Acton Academy.
Her greatest hero is her mother who was a Master Teacher. Her wisest mentor is her father who sent her off to college with two words of advice: "Be curious."
Our Economic Model
We believe self-directed, peer-to-peer learner-driven communities built by our young Heroes will deliver transformational learning at a cost all parents can afford.
