Our year is almost over! Here are the details for our second-to-last week: #1 – Civ is Over! Final Challenges & Badge Compilation Yes, you read it correctly—our American History Civ. unit has come to an end! This week, learners completed their final two Challenges and then compiled their Civ. Badge. As a final motivator, learners were given one last goal: if they finished, compiled, and received approval for their Civ. Badge by Thursday, they would earn a trip to the pool. Ev

Our trip to Puerto Rico is over! It was filled with fun, food, and plenty of memorable moments. Day 1–2: Isla Verde Beach & Culebra Adventure We left school on Friday at 2:30 PM to get to the airport early. Traffic was heavy, and it took about two hours to reach JFK Airport, but we made our flight and arrived at SJU at 10:00 PM. Unfortunately, by the time we landed, the rental car company we had planned to use had already closed, so we took an Uber to our Airbnb and got some

Welcome to our final session of the year! The first week of Session 6 has been filled with exciting new learning opportunities, creative projects, and preparations for our much-anticipated trip to Puerto Rico. Here are this week's highlights: #1 – A New Quest and Genre Begin The first day of the session marked the launch of both our final Quest and Genre of the year, and they have already exceeded expectations. For Photography Quest, learners began using Canon Rebel cameras t

While the final week of the session was certainly busy, it was also filled with excitement, achievement, and plenty of fun. Quest This week in Quest, learners focused on preparing for the Exhibition. They finalized their posters, polished their scripts, and completed their presentation stations to ensure everything was ready for guests. During Tuesday's Exhibition, learners put their hard work into action by presenting their ideas and encouraging visitors to invest in their s

This week was a blast! PE On Monday, learners visited a commercial gym and worked with a professional trainer. In addition to learning about physical fitness and healthy habits, they experienced recovery practices such as a cold plunge and sauna session. Genre In Genre, learners completed their “Money Manifesto,” bringing together everything they have learned throughout the session. Each manifesto included reflections on an investment role model, a personal investment story w

Welcome to the Week 4 LaunchPad Newsletter! This week was packed with engaging challenges, thoughtful discussions, and an unforgettable camping trip where LaunchPad and Journey learners spent two days connecting with learners from other Actons. Quest This week in Quest, learners explored investing strategies and financial decision-making. On Monday, they identified their personal investing archetypes by reflecting on goals such as long-term versus short-term gains and their t

This week was full of fun, learning, and adventure! Learners engaged in meaningful discussions about investing, leadership, entrepreneurship, and history while also enjoying an exciting outdoor experience at Alpine Scout Camp. Genre: Moral Lessons & Financial Thinking The week began with a Genre Challenge focused on moral stories and how their lessons could apply to investing and decision-making. Learners explored stories such as Midas and the Golden Touch and The Boy and the

This week kicked off with a bang! As part of Quest, learners launched their investing competition using the Stock Market Game, a real-time simulator where each participant invested $100,000 based on their research. After exploring the stock market and different types of investments, learners selected strategies and created presentations to teach their peers. On Friday, we welcomed a special Hero’s Visit from Ofer, an entrepreneur who shared his journey, including launching hi

Hello everyone, and welcome to Session 5! We officially launched the new session this week and had a great time diving into exciting new topics. For Quest, learners are exploring different forms of financial investment. We kicked off the week by examining various investment types and reflecting on our own investment habits. Looking ahead, learners will participate in the annual Children’s Business Fair, and have already begun preparing through hands-on challenges—deciding wha

This week marked the final days of the fourth session of the school year. Over five full days, Launchpad learners wrapped up their Genre and Quest projects while also preparing for the upcoming session. On Monday, learners began by scheduling their week and setting priorities. The week also included several key events: P.D. with Jacob House Cup games on Wednesday Physics Day on Thursday Genre This week, learners focused on finalizing and formatting their allegories for compet

This was the fourth week of Session Four, and it’s hard to believe we are already more than 80% through the school year. On Monday, Launchpad learners planned their schedules for the week ahead, setting goals and organizing their time. Some of the highlights this week included: P.D. session with Jacob House Cup games on Wednesday Alpine Day on Friday Ongoing planning for Physics Day at the end of the session Genre This week in Genre, each learner completed their Hero’s Allego

Welcome to the Third Newsletter of Session Four! This week, learners in the LaunchPad Studio dove deeper into physics, advanced their allegory writing, and engaged in meaningful discussions about global poverty and income inequality. Quest (Physics: Hooke’s Law & Bungee Challenge) In Quest, learners began the week by researching Hooke’s Law and exploring the relationship between force and elasticity (F=kx). As the week progressed, they investigated different types of bungees—

Welcome to the second week of Session 4’s Weekly Newsletter! We began the week by continuing our Genre Allegories. Learners identified three main obstacles their protagonists will face. At Acton, we recognize three common challenges: Resistance, Distraction, and Victimhood. Just as learners work to overcome these challenges in real life, their characters will face and overcome them throughout their stories. This week, learners brainstormed how these obstacles would appear in

This week was filled with exciting STEM learning, creative storytelling, and hands-on engineering challenges. Due to a winter blizzard, learners returned on Tuesday to discover massive snow piles, creating a fun and memorable start to the new session. Our Physics Quest began with learners researching fundamental physics concepts such as displacement, distance, potential energy, and kinetic energy. Learners also had the opportunity to pursue an Honors Physics Quest, completing

Welcome back! The final week of Session 6 was filled with badge compilations, an inspiring Exhibition, and meaningful celebrations of growth. Here are this week’s highlights: Speeches, Games, and Guests: An Exhibition Worth Remembering This Session’s Exhibition was a truly special event, showcasing each learner’s NGA (Next Great Adventure) speech alongside their handcrafted board games. Learners invited personal guests who could support and inspire their future goals, creatin

Welcome back! As we approach our exciting Exhibition, learners have been hard at work refining their speeches and celebrating some unforgettable winter experiences. Here are this week’s highlights: Speeches are nearly complete! A genre milestone worth celebrating: We are entering the final stages of speech preparation, and the growth has been remarkable. This week’s Genre Challenges focused on memorizing speeches, recording practice presentations, and strengthening confident

Welcome Back! Week 4 of this session brought major progress in our Decision Making Quest , exciting developments in our NGA speeches , and plenty of snowy outdoor fun! Game Design Complete – Playtesting Begins! Our research- and reflection-heavy Decision Making Quest is truly coming together. This week, students finalized their game designs and moved into one of the most exciting stages of the process: playtesting with fellow studiomates. After sharing our games, we gather

Hello all! This week included a long-awaited trip to Orlando, Florida , where the LaunchPad Studio visited Acton Academy: Arts Thereafter and Universal Studios . This experience was nothing short of amazing and provided an incredible opportunity for bonding, independence, and growth. Here’s a recap of our adventure: Day 1: Flights, Chaos, and Our Airbnb If our flight to Orlando hadn’t been so chaotic, it wouldn’t be worth mentioning—but it definitely was! The day included se

Hello parents and guests! We are now entering the part of Session 3 where things really start moving. This week was full of Quest challenges, AI learning, and exciting anticipation for our upcoming trip. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to: #1 – The AI Badge: Taking the World by Storm This Session, alongside our Quest and Genre work, learners are earning an AI Badge. This badge focuses on using artificial intelligence in a responsible, ethical, and effective way, while als

Hello everyone! The two-week break is officially over, and Session 3 has begun! With Decision-Making as our Quest and NGA Talks as our Genre, this session is already shaping up to be an exciting and meaningful one. Here’s what we’ve been working on this week: 1. Your NGA Is On! Building Real-World Connections A Next Great Adventure (NGA) is at the heart of what makes Launchpad unique, offering learners a four-year head start into the real world. This session, learners began w