After-School Programs, Robotics, & More

AcademyACL offers the following after-school enrichment programs, listed in categories at the bottom of this page, depending on the time of year and sponsor/supervision ability. Our currently-enrolled families may visit ParentSquare for information regarding these programs.

Before/After School Care Program

Sign up for the YMCA BEFORE/AFTERCARE program. Contact the YMCA for more details.

CONGRATULATIONS to the

2017 AcademyACL Robotics Team!

This is our team's 4th year of competition in the fall, and the first year for a local Pikes Peak B.E.S.T. competition. Our team earned the Spirit and Sportsmanship Award and the First Place B.E.S.T. Award. Visit the AcademyACL Robotics Facebook page for more photos and updates.

The BEST Award
Spirit and Sportsmanship Evaluation

Judges evaluate this category on Game Day. They observe the spirit promoted by the team during the competition rounds as well as the team’s conduct throughout the day in the seating area, table display area, game floor, and pit area.

Spirit and Sportsmanship Evaluation

• Spirit includes the vigor and enthusiasm displayed by team representatives
• Teams can use posters, props, t-shirts, cheerleaders, musicians, mascots, costumes, and lower-frequency noise-makers to increase the level of spirit (check with local hub to determine specific noise-maker restrictions)
• Community involvement: number of team supporters present at competition (other than students)
• Sportsmanship includes outward displays of sportsmanship (e.g., helping other teams in need), grace in winning and losing, and conduct and attitude considered befitting participation in sports
• Overall team sportsmanship is also demonstrated by students (not mentors) making the majority of robot adjustments and repairs during the competition

The BEST Award – General Rules

The BEST Award is presented to the team that best embodies the concept of Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology. This concept recognizes that inclusiveness, diversity of participation, exposure to and use of the engineering process, sportsmanship, teamwork, creativity, positive attitude and enthusiasm, and school and community involvement play significant roles in a team’s competitive experience and contribute to student success in the competition beyond winning an award.

In accordance with the BEST philosophy, materials submitted by teams must be the work of students. The involvement of student peers in auxiliary roles to support a school’s official BEST team with the documentation – i.e., journalists, photographers, artists, musicians – is encouraged.

Space constraints at each Regional competition site will determine the number of teams that can compete for the BEST Award (check with the specific guidelines published by each Regional site). In order for a team to be eligible to compete for the BEST Award at any of the Regional competitions, the team: (1) must have competed for the BEST Award at their local hub competition, and (2) must agree to compete in all five of the BEST Award categories at the Regional competition.

Judging Evaluation and Criteria
Evaluation of competitors will be based on the criteria outlined in these guidelines. An evaluation score of a total possible 100 points will be composed of the following:
• Category I -       Project Engineering Notebook (mandatory for ALL teams, including teams NOT competing in the BEST Award)
• Category II -       Marketing Presentation (at hub’s discretion for BEST Award inclusion)
• Category III -     Team Exhibit and Interviews (at hub’s discretion for BEST Award inclusion)
• Category IV -    Spirit and Sportsmanship (mandatory for all BEST Award teams)
• Category V -     Robot Performance (mandatory for all BEST Award teams)

Our 2016 Team earned the Most Creative Exhibit Award and the 2nd place BEST award at the first round of competition (in Denver), and headed to regional competition in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, where they brought back the Founders Award for their creative and innovative design. We are happy that with the addition of Pikes Peak BEST, Denver can become the hub for the 2017 regional competition.