Special Events

Making Connections in Our Community

Every year we celebrate the opportunity to make connections throughout the Pikes Peak Region, into Denver, across Colorado, across the country, and even around the world. Here are some of the special events that enable great connections, activities, and celebrations for students.


JANUARY 2021

January 30, 2021 - 11:00am-1:00pm - Parent's Challenge and National School Choice Week Event

Come out to this socially distance event at Colorado Springs Early Colleges parking lot and meet the AcademyACL Hawk as we greet interested families through this drive by event to explore school choice options. Free backpacks and giveaways! Click here for event details.


DECEMBER 2020

December 8, 2020 - 8:30am-9:30am - Behind the Mask Coffee Talk

Academy Director, Nikki Myers, will be hosting a virtual coffee talk with prospective new families interested in enrolling at AcademyACL. Please join in to ask questions and learn more about AcademyACL. Click HERE to join up in the Google Meet.

December 5, 2020 - Colorado Springs Festival of Lights

5:30-8:30pm - Broadmoor World Arena

This year’s parade will be held in a safe and socially-distanced event at The Broadmoor World Arena! This stationary parade will allow you the opportunity to drive through the amazing lighted floats from the safety (and warmth!) of your own car. Free tickets are now available for reservation to allow for vehicles to enter the parade route at staggered times throughout the evening and avoid long lines.  Plus, fun holiday snacks will be available for purchase in advance. We are doing everything we can to help make your favorite holiday tradition a great family event! Register for your free vehicle admission here:

https://worldarenaandpikespeakcenter.formstack.com/forms/festival_of_lights_parade 


OCTOBER 2020

October 17-18, 23-25, 30-31 - Boo at the Zoo

Bring your little superhero, princess, or pirate to Boo at the Zoo Oct. 17-18, 23-25, and 30-31, 3:40-8:30 p.m. (last admission at 7:20 p.m.), when Cheyenne Mountain Zoo comes alive with the spirit of Halloween.

Boo at the Zoo is a fun trick-or-treating event for local families, and COVID-19 precautions will be in place. Set in a unique environment, attendee will enjoy all the Zoo has to offer, while feeling good about collecting candy made with sustainable palm oil to help protect wild orangutans!

Put on your costume and bring your trick-or-treat bag to the wildest Halloween event in town. It’ll be a frightfully good time! For all the details, please visit cmzoo.org/boo.

October 16, 2020 - Koats for Kids Gala

This annual gala tradition has been a fun event for all. This year, we will be fundraising from 5:30pm - 9:30pm at The Pinery at The Hill, 775 W. Bijou Street.

It is requested that volunteers bring a coat as a donation (the admission for the event) , but you will also be able to enjoy the event! You can participate in the Silent Auction, taste the best flavors that 100 Days of Shine has to offer, free drinks and food, there will be poker tables, a live band, and awesome door prizes!


FEBRUARY 2020

February 29 - Gifted Education Mini Conference w/ Linda Silverman -

We welcome Dr. Linda Silverman to Colorado Springs! Dr. Silverman is an international author, speaker, and founder of the Gifted Development Center in Denver. Dr. Silverman will hold a keynote presentation  for educators from 9am to 10am, followed by informal breakout sessions including one by Guiding Bright founder, Tina Harlow.

Tickets are $15 online through February 26. Tickets at the door are $20 online. Seating is limited, so please reserve your ticket/s online as soon as possible. The proceeds are used to provide an honorarium for our special guests and the work of our Center for Gifted Resources that serves families across the Pikes Peak Region.

A certificate of attendance will be provided for 3.5 hours at the conclusion of the workshop.  Visit this link: tickets here

February 26 - Lottery Night @ 6:30pm - Families that have submitted enrollment applications are invited to attend the 2020-21 enrollment lottery held at AcademyACL.


JANUARY 2020

January 25 - Ruth Washburn Information Fair

January 25 - Parent's Challenge

January 18 - Educating Children of Color Summit

January 14 - Kindergarten Night @ AcademyACL


NOVEMBER 2019

November 14 - WATS Night- AcademyACL. 5:30pm.Dr. Amy Rushneck, the Executive Director of The Center for Bright Kids will present on the benefits of these testing opportunities for students in grades 3-9. While the presentation is primarily for parents, you are welcome to bring your students with you, but know that we will not be able to provide childcare. Please RSVP so that we can have an idea of how many of you might be interested.

We'll be a testing site for the PSAT 8/9 on February 10, 2020, and you can sign up for that testing session via the CBK website: www.centerforbrightkids.org.

A flyer for this event is in your child's Thursday folder, and I've attached one to this post as well. Please feel free to share with others in the community who might be interested or whose kids might benefit!


OCTOBER 2019

October 31 - Boo at the Zoo - Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. 4:00pm-8:30pm. AcademyACL will have a booth and participating. Please come find us!

October 11 - Koats 4 Kids - Mining Exchange. 5:30pm-9:30pm.


SEPTEMBER 2019

September 14 - What if? Festival, Downtown Colorado Springs. AcademyACL will be at booth #89 in the Plaza of the Rockies building.