School, Reclaimed.
Learning that launches identity, character, and real-world purpose.
Ai²: Academy of Inspiration & Innovation
A radically different middle and high school launching Fall 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona—designed for students ready to lead, create, and serve with confidence
Be the first to hear about info sessions, founding events, and enrollment milestones.
Built for families who want more than academics—they want belonging, purpose, and growth.
A Movement for Purpose-Driven Learners
Middle and High School (Grades 6–10) | Scottsdale, AZ | Launching Fall 2025
Ai²: Academy of Inspiration & Innovation opens Fall 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona—offering middle and high school students something they've rarely been given: a place to belong, to grow with purpose, and to make real impact now.
This is school redesigned for a new kind of learner—and a new kind of world.
Ai² is for learners who...
- Want their work to matter—not just their grades
- Crave real challenge, not just more assignments
- Long to be seen, supported, and celebrated in true community
- Are driven by a desire to create, contribute, and lead—now, not someday
The learners drawn to Ai² aren't waiting to be told what to do. They're ready to grow, lead, and make a difference—starting today.
Ai² is for families who...
- Long for a school that nurtures both character and skill
- Want a school that partners with them, not replaces them
- Refuse to trade joy, faith, or growth for test scores
- Care deeply about both excellence and purpose
The families who are drawn to Ai² aren't just looking for a better school. They're building a better future.
At Ai², your family doesn't just enroll. You belong.
We're building something bigger than academics—we're building a community of hope-filled innovators, rooted in deep connection and driven by a better vision for what school can be.
School isn't working—and you know it.
At Ai², we don't settle for survival. We build for flourishing.
You've watched your child come home from school exhausted, anxious, or simply numb. You've seen their spark start to fade. And maybe, like so many parents, you've wondered quietly: "Is this really the best we can do?"
It's not. That's why we're building Ai².
We're launching with grades 6–10 in Fall 2025, and expanding through 12th grade over the following two years. Why begin here? Because this age group—the threshold between childhood and adulthood—is where purpose should be ignited, not postponed. And yet, most school models default to test prep, pressure, and passivity.
We exist to change that.
At Ai², we believe:
School should be a place where curiosity grows, not fades.
Every learner deserves to feel energized, equipped, and inspired.
Middle and high schoolers are ready for real purpose—and real impact.
Families can find a school that reflects both their values and their vision.
Ai² exists to meet the need no one else is meeting—at the stage where it matters most.
Families in Scottsdale have tried traditional schools, online programs, homeschooling pods, and hybrid co-ops. But too often, those models leave learners isolated, uninspired, or disconnected from real life.
We're building a new path—one where teens are connected, challenged, and deeply known.
Let's stop settling for survival. Let's build a school that leads to flourishing.
What Sets Ai² Apart
Freedom, Character, Community, and Real-World Innovation.
At Ai², we didn't tweak the traditional system. We rebuilt education from the ground up—anchored in belonging, character, innovation, and hope.
Here's what makes Ai² radically different:
Freedom Through Growth
We don't equate freedom with chaos—or growth with pressure. At Ai², freedom is earned through purposeful challenge, deep community, and meaningful work. Learners grow with agency, responsibility, and resilience.
Real Apprenticeships Every Friday
One day a week, every week, learners step into the real world: partnering with mentors, serving their communities, and building skills that matter. This isn't theoretical prep—it's purposeful contribution now.
Socratic Discussions, Not Passive Lectures
We don't lecture facts—we ask big questions. Through Socratic dialogue, students sharpen their thinking, deepen their convictions, and learn how to speak truth with courage and compassion.
Character Formation is Core Curriculum
We believe who you are matters more than what you know. Guided by the Jubilee Centre's research-backed character framework, Ai² intentionally grows intellectual, moral, civic, and performance virtues in every student.
Faith-Rooted, Values-Driven
Our community is shaped by a Christian worldview—expressed through hope, compassion, and service, not pressure or dogma. We honor each learner's dignity, agency, and calling.
Mastery-Based, Not Seat-Time Based
Learners progress based on competency, not how long they sit in a chair. This means faster acceleration where they're strong, and deeper support where they need growth—building true mastery, not just memorization.
Real-World Projects with Public Exhibitions
Every 5–6 weeks, students launch real-world projects—and present their work to families, community partners, and mentors. Accountability isn't just grades—it's public ownership, iteration, and pride in real accomplishments.
Global Perspective, Local Action
From day one, learners collaborate with peers locally and around the world—solving real problems, building cross-cultural understanding, and living as global citizens rooted in faith and service.
At Ai², school isn't a box to fit into. It's a launchpad for who you were created to become.
🔹 Ai² is a tight-knit community where:
- Learners grow through real-world work, not busywork
- Character formation is core to everything we do
- Purposeful challenge and earned freedom unlock true potential
- Faith is lived through service, not imposed through pressure
- Families are seen as partners, not spectators
This isn't school as usual. It's learning that launches purpose.
Learning That Mirrors Real Life
Weekly rhythms of growth, service, creation, and rest.
At Ai², we believe learning should mirror real life: Cycles of focus, collaboration, reflection, and action. Not endless busywork or frantic schedules that crush curiosity.
Here's what a typical week looks like at Ai²:
🗓️ Weekly Rhythm:
Mondays: Independent Learning & Goal-Setting + Electives
Learners set personal goals, build core academic skills, and prepare for collaborative work. (Think: self-paced mastery—not mindless assignments.)
Tuesday–Thursday: Collaboration, Creation, and Deep Work
On-campus days packed with Socratic discussions, skill-building workshops, real-world project sprints, and community-based challenges.
Fridays: Apprenticeships, Service, and Fieldwork
One day each week dedicated to real-world experience: Working with mentors, launching service projects, building resumes—and purpose.
There's time to think. Time to build. Time to breathe.
The rhythm of the week reflects the rhythms of healthy adult life: work, reflection, contribution, and rest.
🌟 Our Model: The Four Freedoms
Everything at Ai² is built around the Four Freedoms—four pillars that shape every learner's experience:
Freedom to Belong
Growth Through Relationships & Trust
- Small, tight-knit cohorts where learners are known and needed
- Authentic community, mixed-age collaboration, family partnership
- A culture of deep trust, responsibility, and celebration
Freedom to Grow
Growth Through Purposeful Challenge
- Mastery-based learning that honors each student's pace and passion
- Socratic dialogue and real accountability
- Weekly reflection and personal ownership of goals
Freedom to Create
Growth Through Inspiration that Fuels Innovation
- Entrepreneurial thinking and creative problem solving
- Real-world project sprints rooted in learners' passions
- A place where inspiration multiplies through community
Freedom to Impact
Growth Through Real-World Action
- Service projects, apprenticeships, and global collaboration
- Portfolios of real-world work and demonstrated skill
- Young leaders building solutions now—not someday
At Ai², freedom isn't the absence of challenge. It's the ability to meet challenge with purpose, belonging, and hope.
Built on real-world experience. Backed by Innovation.
Global partnerships, proven models, real-world impact.
Ai² is new—but it's not untested. Our founders, Jessica and Matthew Gile, have spent the last decade launching innovative, learner-driven communities that work.
In 2019, they founded Acton Academy Redding in Northern California, a thriving K–12 community where young people launched businesses, led exhibitions, and learned to take real ownership of their growth. They also co-founded the Redding Children's Business Fair, giving hundreds of young entrepreneurs a platform to lead, create, and serve their city.
Their work isn't limited to education. Through Emergent, a construction technology company, and years in international development, they've helped build solutions for families recovering from disaster zones worldwide. The belief that young people can be agents of real hope is the heartbeat of Ai².
We don't work alone. We work alongside global leaders in education innovation:
The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtue
(University of Birmingham, UK) — shaping our research-backed character development model.
Arizona State University
— offering dual enrollment opportunities to accelerate learners into real-world credentials.
The Institute for Self-Directed Learning
— guiding our mastery-based, learner-led approach.
XQ Schools and Future9 Frameworks
— informing our real-world, future-ready skill progression.
We've seen what happens when students are trusted with real responsibility, meaningful relationships, and purpose-driven work. At Ai², we're bringing that vision—and that proven model—to Scottsdale families who are ready for something more.
We Know What You're Wondering—Here's the Truth.
Bold enough for your hopes. Grounded enough for real results.
Choosing a different path takes courage. If you're reading this, you're probably asking some of the same thoughtful questions other visionary families ask us too.
We hear you—and we're ready to answer.
Is this rigorous enough for my child's future?
Absolutely. Through real-world projects, public exhibitions, apprenticeships, and Socratic discussions, Ai² students build portfolios that colleges, employers, and communities deeply value. Academic excellence isn't sacrificed here, it's redefined and made personal.
Isn't self-paced learning too unstructured?
Freedom at Ai² comes with real accountability. Learners set clear goals, track progress weekly, and reflect publicly. They move forward by demonstrating real competence—not just checking boxes. Structure exists—but it's built for growth, not control.
How is faith integrated without being pushy?
Faith at Ai² is lived through core values—hope, compassion, purpose, and service—not through pressure or doctrinal tests. We create a community where a Christian worldview inspires action, not conformity, and every student's dignity is honored. We accept learners from all walks of life, understanding that our philosophical background is Neo-Aristotelean with Christian worldview influence.
Will my teen be ready for college, or life?
More than ready for both. By mastering real-world skills, building strong character, and leading meaningful projects, Ai² students graduate with portfolios, recommendations, and personal clarity about their next steps, whether that's college, career, or calling.
Is this just another trendy education experiment?
No. Ai² is built on proven, research-backed models tested across thriving learner-driven schools worldwide. We didn't chase trends—we designed for what truly forms resilient, purposeful young adults.
🙌 You don't have to settle for either/or.
At Ai², you don't have to choose between:
- Academic excellence and emotional wellbeing
- Faith and innovation
- Structure and freedom
- Belonging and challenge
You—and your child—can have it all.
✉️ Curious? Let's Start a Conversation.
You don't have to figure it all out today. But if something here stirs your heart—if you can picture your son or daughter thriving in a place like this— we invite you to take the first step.
Join our Interest List to stay connected to upcoming info nights, discovery calls, founding family events, and enrollment updates.
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just a shared belief that school can—and should—be different.
Because the future needs more hope-filled innovators. And it starts with them.
Real Families. Real Hope. Real Change.
Hear from those who believe in the vision already taking shape.
Even before opening our doors, the spirit of Ai² is already alive—in the conversations, prayers, dreams, and commitments of the families and mentors gathering to build this movement.
Here's what they're saying:
"This is the first time I've seen a school where my child's character and calling matter as much as their academics." — Founding Parent
"It's what we've been searching for—a community that challenges, believes in, and walks with our kids, not just grades them." — Future Ai² Family
"At Ai², students don't just prepare for life. They lead it. They live it. They love it." — Founding Guide
Founder Vision:
"We believe education is at its best when it's built on trust, purpose, and community. Ai² is a place where students don't have to wait to make an impact—they start now." — Jessica and Matthew Gile, Co-Founders
At Ai², school isn't just what you attend. It's the community you help create—and the purpose you carry forward.
Join the Movement Toward Purpose
The world needs what your learner was made to bring—and it starts here.
You're not just choosing a school. You're choosing a future.
A future where your child's gifts are seen, their character is shaped, and their dreams are launched—not someday, but now.
A future where learning isn't just about checking boxes—it's about building lives of meaning, service, and hope.
A future where your family finds a community of like-minded pioneers—faith-filled, purpose-driven, and committed to raising a generation that leads with courage and compassion.
🔵 Join the Ai² Interest List today.
- Be the first to hear about virtual info nights, founding family gatherings, and enrollment milestones.
- Receive resources to help you choose boldly and build intentionally.
- Step into a story that's bigger than school—it's a movement toward hope.
Because the world needs what your learner was made to bring—and it starts here.