Hi 👋 I'm Carrie
We’re so glad you’re here.
We’re a team of Guides, parents, and lifelong learners who believe children are capable of far more than they’re often given the opportunity to demonstrate. Our role isn’t to lecture or direct every step. It’s to create an environment where young people can grow in confidence, discover their unique gifts, and take ownership of their learning.
Every learner’s journey is different, and we’re honored to walk alongside them as they build character, embrace challenges, and prepare for a life of purpose.
We invite you to watch the video, explore our community, and imagine what your child’s Hero’s Journey could look like at Acton Academy Greenville.
Carrie
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.
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We believe every child is uniquely created by God with inherent worth, purpose, and gifts to be discovered and developed.
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.
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Discover their God-given gifts and use them to make a meaningful difference in the world.
Our Team
Carrie
Owner and Guide
When I first discovered Acton Academy in 2018, I couldn't stop thinking about it. It gave words to so many things I already believed about children but had never been able to fully articulate. The idea that kids are capable of so much more than we often give them credit for just made sense.
For the next few years, I kept coming back to it. I read everything I could, talked about it constantly, and eventually realized I couldn't ignore the pull anymore. In 2022, my husband and I took a leap of faith and opened Acton Academy Greenville.
Looking back, it was one of the best decisions we've ever made. Getting to watch young people grow in confidence, character, and independence is a gift, and I'm grateful we get to bring this community to families here in Greenville.
April Scully
Guide
April is a Guide at Acton Academy Greenville. She believes children grow into confident, capable young people when they are trusted with meaningful challenges, encouraged to follow their curiosity, and given ownership of their learning. She loves asking thoughtful questions, cheering learners on, and watching them discover strengths they didn't know they had.
Before joining Acton, April's journey took her around the world. She taught English in South Korea, worked in education and nonprofit leadership, and developed entrepreneurial programs that connected young people with real world projects and corporations.
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."
From an Acton Academy Greenville parent
“Our daughter has become more confident, independent, and excited to learn than we ever imagined. Acton has been one of the best decisions we've made for our family.”
