Christian Entrepreneurial Leadership Academy · Scottsdale, AZ · Sept 2026

THE WORLD'S CHANGED. School hasn't.

A K12 leadership academy launching in North Scottsdale this September — built from the ground up to raise independent thinkers, courageous leaders, & kids who actually love learning.

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2 Watch the Interest Night Replay

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Watch · 2 min overview

You already know
something's off.

"School takes more from our family than it gives."

Evenings gone. Weekends spent recovering. You're always rushing, managing, and chauffeuring — and somehow still feel behind. You didn't sign up for this.

"My kids are fine. But is "fine" the real goal?"

Not failing. Not struggling. Just… passive. Compliant. Checking boxes but not building anything. You sense they're drifting — and school isn't helping.

"Is endless homework & worksheets really learning?"

Most students spend years completing work they’ll never use again.
Real learning happens through challenge, curiosity, and meaningful work.
Not just worksheets and memorization.

"The world changed. School didn't notice."

AI. Shifting economy. A college path that makes less sense every year. School still optimizes for compliance and memorization. Practice for a game they'll never actually play.

A CURRENT Family

"Have you ever experienced crazy alignment? Like it almost doesn't feel real? Something you know is only from God because the sum of the parts shouldn't really equal the whole — but yet there you are. Doors open at the exact right time. The Academy has been that for us. Our children are thriving here. They love school, dislike breaks, and say things like: 'I feel like I'm becoming a good leader.' Every time I drive by, I feel a little wink from God."

— Ally Hage, Academy Mom · California Campus

This is what families experience. Every year. On purpose.

PARENTS LIKE YOU ARE ALREADY LOOKING FOR THIS

You're not crazy for wanting something different.

"I want my kid to love learning again."

"I don't want them sitting at a desk all day."

"They need real-world skills, not just grades."

"I want more time together as a family."

"Faith has to be real—not just a class."

"I want them capable and confident."

You're not crazy for wanting this.

Hard to explain.
Easy to see.

We just built the school we actually want.

01 — REAL LEARNING

Learning That Sticks

Real problems, not worksheets.

02 — REAL RESPONSIBILITY

Freedom Creates Ownership

They plan. They execute. They ship.

03 — REAL WORLD

Life Becomes the Classroom

Prepared for life by living it.

04 — REAL FAITH

Formed, Not Just Informed

Faith. Leadership. Identity.

Clarity

Who this is for.

COULD BE A GREAT FIT IF

You believe school shapes far more than academics
You want education grounded in Biblical truth and formation
You want your kids to become thoughtful, capable adults
You value community, culture, and a more joyful rhythm of family life
You believe growth comes through challenge—not constant comfort

PROBABLY NOT A FIT IF

You’re looking for traditional school done slightly better
You want comfort prioritized over growth
You want school to feel familiar, predictable, and conventional
You want kids mostly sitting quietly, listening, and following instructions
You primarily value grades, rankings, and traditional academic achievement

Not for everyone.
Life-changing for the right familes.

Family Spotlight

"This became bigger than school."

Raising thoughtful, grounded, courageous kids changes the whole family.

“

I don't know if I've ever fully expressed what the Academy has meant to me and my family. It's hard to put into words.

I remember when I first heard about the Academy in like-minded circles and thought, "Maybe one day..."

But have you ever experienced crazy alignment? Like it almost doesn't feel real? Something you know is only from God because the sum of the parts shouldn't really equal the whole — but yet there you are?

Opportunities open up. Priorities shift. Doors open at the exact right time.

The Academy has been that for us.

Our children are thriving here, each in their own way. They love school, dislike breaks, and say things like: "My guide might be the best at the school." "I feel like I'm becoming a good leader."

We have a deep understanding of the mission now. The messy, imperfect, glorious work of raising independent thinkers, believers, and doers.

Raising kids who are bold, kind, equipped, confident, and grounded humans — while they somehow shape us into becoming more that way too.

It's not perfect. And honestly, we wouldn't want perfection to be the goal.

But it's been an incredible journey, and we're deeply grateful.

Every time I drive by and see the lights of the church and Academy, I feel a little wink from God — a reminder that He still moves mountains when He has a plan to carry out.

How the Academy became part of our story is something I thank Jesus for daily.

- Ally Hage

Practical Clarity

So what makes
this uniquely different?

A simpler explanation of why families experience the Academy differently than traditional school.

Traditional School

Rows of students.
Passive learning.
Grades-first systems.
Teacher-driven learning.
One-size-fits-all structure.
Built in 1840s for compliance.
School separated from real life.

The Academy

Small community.
Project-based learning.
Real-world responsibility.
Student-driven learning.
Leadership development.
Faith integrated into everyday life.
Timeless, common-sense, future-proof.

The DIFFERENCE

More engagement.
More ownership.
More confidence.
More purpose.
More life.
More joy.
Resilient leaders ready for real life.

THE ReAlity

**What does this actually look like?**

See The Academy in action:
As captured by our own students.

Swipe to see all four

01 — A REAL MONDAY

Free range kids make freedom-loving adults.

Our students captured a random Monday.

02 — A DAY WITH RYLIE

Academy life of a Jr. High girl.

How Rylie learns, leads, and loves her friends.

03 — HIGH SCHOOL FOR LEADERS

Equip kids for real life by letting them do real life.

Do hard things. Do fun things. Teens are built for more.

04 — A DAY WITH EMILIANO

Academy life of a 4th grade boy.

See Emiliano's day of projects, play, and real world stuff.

Proof

This already exists.

Over the past five years, we’ve watched students become more confident, capable, and prepared for real life than we imagined possible.

47%

of graduates finish early

Students launching into college, business, leadership, ministry, and real-world opportunities ahead of schedule.

97%

parent approval

Families consistently describe the Academy as one of the most meaningful decisions they've made for their children.

Full-Ride

leadership scholarship

Every Academy graduate is eligible for a lifetime full-ride leadership scholarship to Austin Christian University.

150

students per campus

Small by design. Because students thrive when they’re deeply known—not treated like numbers.

Student Story

Caleb, 18

Graduated early at 17. Now mentoring Christian men as a professional fly-fishing guide in Montana.

"Traditional school isn't made for independent people. Teachers didn't know how to "deal" with me, so I was constantly in trouble. At the Academy, they expected me to lead myself and then others. I got to learn things that mattered, make real money, travel to amazing places and actually see God at work. I learned more in six weeks than six years. We weren't meant for rows of desks. We're meant to live meaningful lives of adventure and service."

Student Story

Lexi, 18

Graduated early at 17 with a full-ride scholarship — now graduating college a year early to start masters.

"Before joining the Academy, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was passionate about or where I wanted my life to go. However, the guidance I received from my leaders helped me discover my interests and realize that God has a plan for my life. They encouraged me to explore my potential, refine my goals, and lean into the path God had for me. With the support of my guides, I was even able to graduate early, giving me a head start on my college journey."

"This isn't a theory. It's a better way to raise leaders."

Student Impact

See a recent story of our high schoolers leading local impact — partnering with a global thought leader.

Tuition

Families in Scottsdale already pay $14–20K for traditional Christian private school. The founding family rate closes when we hit our launch goal. The deposit is refundable. The rate is not.

★ Founding Family Rate

$16,000/yr

Rate locked for 5 years. Billed monthly — no lump sum upfront.

✓ Founding family status for life
✓ 5-year rate lock
✓ Priority enrollment for siblings
✓ Full-ride ACU scholarship eligibility
✓ $1,000 refundable deposit holds your spot

Standard Rate

$18,000/yr

Available after founding cohort closes. Billed monthly.

✓ All Academy programming
✓ 6-week sprint partnership with guides
✓ Full-ride ACU scholarship eligibility

Need-based financial aid available. If this is the right place for your family, don't let finances be the only thing keeping you out.

Reserve Your Founding Seat

$1,000 refundable deposit · Locks your founding family rate for 5 years

For families who go first.

Here's what most families
ask first.

The Academy is a K12 private Christian school with a proven approach to learning, leadership, and real-world readiness.

We plan to launch K–8 with founding families in September 2026. The Academy will grow into full K12.

Students complete strong academic foundations while also developing communication, leadership, initiative, critical thinking, and real-world capability.

No. It's for students ready to grow in ownership, confidence, responsibility, and engagement.

Yes. The Academy operates as a private Christian school and students successfully launch into college, business, leadership, ministry, and other real-world opportunities.

Because this is intentionally small, highly relational, and built around real-world learning, leadership development, and deep student formation — not large-scale institutional efficiency. We also train future entrepreneurs, so we must model financial sustainability and value-creation. No hand-outs.

Comparable tuition. Different outcome.

Yes. We offer need-based financial aid to make The Academy as accessible as possible for great-fit families.

If it's the right place for your family, don't let finances be the only thing keeping you out.

No. And we're okay with that.

The Academy is designed for families looking for a more intentional, purpose-filled, real-world approach to education and family life.

Yes. We offer need-based financial aid. Access to great-fit families is our priority.

Of course. We have athletes competing in more sports than you can imagine. Football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, rugby, cheer, jiu jitsu/MMA, snowboarding, skiing, mountain biking, swimming, equestrian, rodeo, lacrosse, shooting, and more.

Who's behind this.

CO-Founder

Justin MacDonald

20 years in innovative education & leadership including African Leadership University. Founded The Academy at District in California in 2021. Personally leading the Scottsdale North launch.

Meet Justin from a recent talk →

California · 5 Years

The Academy at District

The proven model. 97% parent satisfaction. Students at or above national norms. 47% of high schoolers graduate early. Austin Christian University built a full-ride scholarship for our graduates.

Visit the California Academy →

LEARN MORE

Get more info

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Want to just talk to a human?
Text Justin directly: 480.748.1657

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Save Your Spot — $1,000 refundable deposit

Fully refundable if the school isn't the right fit.