Since opening its doors in 1997, Austin Jewish Academy (AJA) has been committed to preparing young minds both for their academic careers and for their roles as critically-thinking leaders. Austin Jewish Academy is a community Jewish day school open to all students and is affiliated with Prizmah, a non-profit organization that promotes pluralistic non-denominational Jewish education. AJA receives accreditation through AdvancED and is sustained with the generous financial support from the Jewish Federation of Greater Austin. Education in the past has been about students passively receiving knowledge from a “sage on a stage”. Austin Jewish Academy, however, offers students new possibilities with hands-on experiential learning, social and emotional skill building, and exploration of timeless Jewish values. Students at AJA are empowered critical thinkers and compassionate problem-solvers.