Advocacy for Students

 

Thank you, Great Outdoors Colorado!

AcademyACL is very proud to be a recipient of a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Schoolyard Initiative Grant, awarded March 23, 2017. This was a competitive grant process with applicants from across the state of Colorado, funded by Colorado Lottery dollars.

Students on a small Youth Focus Group, a larger group of representatives from every class, and the entire student body, along with teachers and a parent grant-writing committee, worked together to create the details for the grant application.

Work began in Summer 2017 this summer, with the following elements of our "Forest Green" natural playground that were installed by Springs Break 2018:

  • Lothlorien: outdoor classroom and seating space
  • Hobbiton and Lonely Mountain: shallow caves and a walking bridge
  • Sherwood Forest: castle overlook with a slide built into the side of a hill and Analemmatic sundial
  • Black Forest: Ga-ga ball pit (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ga-ga) and climbing wall, and walking labyrinth
  • And to start in Spring 2019:
    • 100 Acre Wood: butterfly garden and quiet seating areas
    • Tree plantings
    • Game Tables

We are excited to work together with neighbors, friends, community members, and volunteers to create this beautiful, eco-friendly and green space for our students and the neighborhood to enjoy. Stay updated on our dedicated Facebook page @PikeParkBeautiful, called Forest Green at Pike Park.

The GOCO grant funds $110,000 of this project, with an additional $37,000 needed in cash and in-kind donations. Students raised over $29,000 at their 2016 Readathon to support their playground. Donors can donate cash online, and contact the school office to donate materials, trees, and plants, and connect with volunteer opportunities.