“An invention has to make sense in the world it finishes in, not in the world it started in.” - Tim O’Reilly
In a word, Acton Academy represents one thing above all else: Innovation!
And one more word represents our desire to launch Acton Academy right here in NWArkansas: Passion!
Mainly, we’re passionate about 5 things:
1. Providing a Learner-Driven Educational Environment
2. Honoring Humanity, Family, Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness.
3. Economic Freedom.
4. A Growth Mindset.
5. The Hero’s Journey.
With the advent of Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence in the here & now, the future of Education truly sits at a profound and historic crossroads. The average high school senior will be entering college in 2023 to prepare for many jobs which, by the end of the decade, may not exist - with some jobs going extinct before they even graduate college!
At this point, the role of a parent has rapidly grown into an exceedingly profound & complex position unlike any other time in recorded history. Many parents are asking themselves important questions, such as, “Will I be able to leave enough behind for my children?” and “What MORE can I even do to prepare my Learner for the future?”
Here at FAA, we believe the greatest Trust Fund you can leave behind for your Learner — is developing their “Figure It Out Yourself” muscles!
In order to prepare a Learner to find their calling, you’ll hear the words Growth Mindset over and over and over, again. This requires an intense focus on balancing between being Tough Minded & Warm Hearted on the part of ALL involved: the Parents, the Guides and even the Learners, themselves within the classroom.
This important, innovative approach to human development instills the skills and intellectual balance in future adults; the same skills required to learn HOW to actually Learn, Do, and Be - How to Be a Lifelong Learner who simultaneously discovers their Passion, while gaining the cognitive & emotional skills to grind right through difficult times - and Live Fully in the prosperous times.
Truly, the Adventure of a Lifetime is in store for families with the Courage to Grow as their Learner develops in a Liberty-based, Learner-Driven Environment - And, in the process, finds their True Calling here on Spaceship Earth!
Expanding the Learner-Driven Revolution is our “S.O.L.E. Mission” here in our Beautiful NWA Community… And we invite you to take a closer look at Fayetteville Acton Academy.
We’re not an alternative school, we’re an alternative TO school - And we look forward to learning more about your family’s educational needs!
Not long ago, in a galaxy semi-adjacent to this one, a young lady received a State Assessment to determine what she should go to College for. The answers were vague, she felt no passion calling her towards the suggested paths. All she wanted to do was teach & dance, dance & teach - so, she did!
The young lady the system called a "daydreamer" and "too distracted, too focused on friendships, doesn't sit still long enough, needs alternative learning programs" - did exactly the thing she wanted to do.
I'm Lucy Johnson and I LOVE to Learn! As a Fayetteville resident of 30 years, a wife of 16 years to my wonderful husband, and a mother of 7 years to my amazing 2 daughters - I'm beyond excited for this unique opportunity to arrive in our beloved NWA region!
Throughout the last 20+ years, I've been a mentor, guide, teacher & trainer in: Dance, Private Preschool, Music, Bible, Team-Building, Corporate Onboarding, Non-profits, Homeschool Co-Ops... and Beyond! In my rare spare time I enjoy practicing and building on my sign language skills!
I'm so thankful for this opportunity to serve and guide the Learners & Families of Fayetteville Acton Academy with Love & Encouragement! My Mission as Sr. Lead Guide over our Heart and S.O.L.E. Program is fostering a deep love for learning by nourishing the Courage To Grow found in every Being, and instilling the confidence to Try. Struggle. Learn. Grow. Repeat. - all in a safe, fun Learner-Driven Environment!
Virginia is an award-winning Master Dance & Movement Teacher with over 24,000 class room hours taught since becoming an instructor and mentor 25 years ago. She’s taught and trained all over the world and is a past instructor with Universal Dance Association, an organization known for setting the highest standards in quality technique, leadership & inspiration across the entire American dance-scape!
Highly trained & skilled in Jazz, Hip-Hop, Lyrical & Tap instruction, Virginia was awarded the opportunity of a lifetime with an six-month, intensive internship at the prestigious Broadway Dance Center in New York City in 2006. This priceless experience was critical in her development into the incredible trainer, instructor & mentor she is today.
She believes the Acton Academy Learner-Driven environment is ideally suited for families who believe their Learner should grow up retaining their Natural, Joyful Sense of Wonder, all while developing the priceless selfgovernance skills needed by those destined to be the next generation of America’s Small-Business Owners, Executives & Entrepreneurs!
Virginia was home schooled for most of her childhood before enrolling in Berryville High School (Class of ’01) for 11th & 12th grade, graduating a full year ahead of schedule with a 4.0 GPA, which she credits to the freedombased environment in which she gained the predominant amount of her Jr. High and High School education as a home schooler.
From there it was off to the big city of Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas (Class of ’06) as a Communications major. In addition to being a full-time college student, in true Acton Academy fashion, she worked her way through school as a full-time business owner & manager of Elite Dance Studios, which she co-founded at age 14 with her big sister, Emily Mock-Viator - whom will also have a tremendous role in our Heart & S.O.L.E Program.
Elite Dance Studios is the first and ONLY facility in the state of Arkansas certified by globally renowned Youth Protection Advocates in Dance & Movement (YPAD), as well as the only certified facility by More Than Just Great Dancing (MTJGD), which was created by YPAD-director Missy Lown.
These are World-Class Credentials designating Elite as a truly Above & Beyond facility in our region.
Along with Co-founding Fayetteville Acton Academy with Brent — Virginia & Emily are Co-founding board members & executive directors of The Transformation Station of NWA, mentioned in Brent’s bio above!
Learn more about Virginia and Emily @ EliteDanceStudios.com!
“How often I found where I should be going only by setting out for somewhere else.” - R. Buckminster Fuller, Spaceship Earth
The oldest child of J. Whitney & Beverly Morgan of Fayetteville, Brent and his 4 siblings come from a long line of business owners and entrepreneurs who worked tirelessly to innovate their companies and industries beyond the status quo of the day.
From the very beginning, he was encouraged to find his own way of figuring out Life, to take informed risks and not be afraid to step into the unknown - even if a great certainty of failure exists - and to view Life and the future as the Great Adventure!
While in grade school at Shiloh Christian (Class of ’01), he started his first business, a rather unimpressive lawn care service where he learned he did NOT have a passion for lawn care. He did, however, learn he loved the central concept of economic freedom, along with a few tough lessons in foundational business principals & finance which guide him to this very day.
After graduating from Ouachita Baptist University (Class of ’05), Brent entered the vast realm of real estate investing while simultaneously working his first post-college job with a regional start-up company. Then, mustering every ounce of courage, he waded into unfamiliar territory and launched a technology-based company, which he sold at the age of 25.
Then it was on to grad school, followed by a 7 year tour-of-duty with a Fortune-500 transportation juggernaut, J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., with 5 years served in various points around the U.S. with their behemoth Intermodal Rail Division, by far the largest of its kind on the entire North American continent!
Brent was called back to NWArkansas in 2017 to tend to urgent family needs which allowed him to enter the role of a public servant with NWA’s #1 ranked Coldwell Banker Harris McHaney Faucette Real Estate Team for an action packed 5 years before now taking the leap into Acton Academy.
He is involved with many aspects of the Northwest Arkansas community and is a Co-founding board member of The Transformation Station of NWA, a 501(c)3, established in 2018. TS of NWA is dedicated to bridging the gap for families experiencing short & long-term financial struggles who strongly desire next-level Movement Arts development programs for their young ones. Learn more about how you can support Arts-based Childhood Development at TransformingNWA.org.
An active freelance consultant with razor-sharp Quantitative Analysis, Financial Ratio & Brand Management skills, he's passionately helped multiple small-businesses build powerful core foundations - allowing them to survive a global pandemic and exponentially THRIVE in its wake.
Brent holds a Master's in Organizational Strategy & Leadership from Harding University's Paul R. Carter School of Business in Searcy, AR, (Class of '09).
The years watching his brother & sisters grow up are among the most cherished of his life - which, along with spending time with his 3 nephews & niece, have blessed him with a great passion for expanding Childhood Education Innovation right here in Fayetteville, the "Athens of the Ozarks!"
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 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."
Begin a Hero’s Journey,
Discover precious gifts and a commitment to mastery.
Become a curious, independent, life-long learner.
Embrace the forging of a strong character.
Cherish the arts, the physical world, and the mysteries of life.
Treasure economic, political, and religious freedom.
We believe each person has a gift that can change the world in a profound way;
We believe in learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be.
We believe in a closely connected family of life-long learners.
We believe in economic, political, and religious freedom.
