We are Amy Tijerina and Carla Ruiz Velasco. We’re practically family, best friends, parents, and entrepreneurs. We’ve never done things the “traditional way”. From starting a small business for women and children in Mexico to raising our kids together, and now launching a non-traditional bilingual micro school for our kids and their peers, the excitement of re-imagining what’s possible drives us and inspires us!

 

As parents of three young children between our two families, we have been thinking about education a lot recently. We all attended public school, currently live in a great school district, and have confidence that our children would do just fine in that setting. However, the more we thought about it, the more we wondered, should we settle for “fine”? We’ve heard about the excessive homework and standardized tests that start in the early elementary years, not to mention sitting at desks for hours at a time. Will this approach adequately prepare our children for a successful, fulfilling life in the 21st century?

​

As we began searching for answers to these questions, we remembered back to our days living in Austin, Texas, and seeing co-workers’ friends at Acton Academy. We were intrigued by the innovative school and seeing how our friend’s children were learning, and thriving in this “non-traditional” way. Instead of an institution, school is viewed as a community of learners who are each on their own “Hero’s Journey” to discover their passion in life. The standards are extremely high and nothing short of excellence is acceptable. Success is not about completing worksheets or memorizing facts to pass a test. Instead, the goals for students are simple and bold: find a calling and change the world.