“During recess, a learner races outside, football in hand, ready to join a game. Just before running off, they notice a peer still inside, head bent over a math problem that just doesn’t make sense. Without hesitation, he sets the football down and sits beside them. Together, they work through it step by step until the stuck learner finally looks up with a grin of relief. Only then does the first learner dash back outside, football once again in hand.”
This is what leadership looks like at Acton. Not the loud kind of leadership we often imagine, the boss giving orders or the manager in charge, but a quieter kind, rooted in service. In that small choice to pause and help, a learner showed what it means to put others first.
That’s the heart of servant leadership: serving in ways that help others grow. Learners at Acton practice this daily, through intentionally etching habits they want to develop, choosing empathy, gratitude, and a growth mindset, while learning to let go of criticism, complaining, and gossip. Through squads and quests, they step into leadership roles, give and receive feedback, and hold each other accountable. The philosophy is simple; these clear decisions lead to the right habits and habits form character.
Over time, these moments of service compound. A learner who once focused only on their own success becomes someone others can count on. Another who hesitated to speak up learns the joy of encouraging a teammate. Leadership becomes less about being first and more about helping others rise.
That’s the kind of leadership worth practicing every day, the kind that starts with something as simple as setting down a football to help a friend.