FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Trailblazer Elementary Lantern Night Postponed Due to Weather

Colorado Springs, CO — November 7, 2024 — Due to inclement weather in the forecast, Trailblazer Elementary has rescheduled its annual Lantern Night celebration. Originally planned for Friday, November 8, Lantern Night will now be held on Thursday, November 21, 2024, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

Lantern Night is a cherished event, bringing together students, families, and community members to celebrate creativity and community under the night sky. We hope the new date will allow everyone to enjoy the event safely and comfortably.

For those who are unable to attend on the rescheduled date, we encourage you to contact us directly via email (kenneth.pfeil@d11.org). Thank you for your flexibility, and we look forward to celebrating with you on November 21!

For Immediate Release: Trailblazer Elementary Hosts Lantern Night: A Community Evening Under the Stars

Colorado Springs, CO – November 8, 2024 – Trailblazer Elementary invites the community to a magical Lantern Night on Friday, November 8 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at Trailblazer Elementary School, offering families an enchanting evening of fun, food, and festivities. Join us for a cozy night featuring hot chocolate, s’mores, face painting, and hair tinsel, as well as an opportunity to explore the beauty of Colorado’s starry sky.

Evening Highlights:

• Lantern Light Hike: Enjoy a serene walk along the lantern-lit path or explore the universe from the comfort of the observatory and specially designated classrooms.
• Silent Auction & Canned Food Drive: Get into the spirit of giving with a silent auction  and a canned food drive for local families in need.
• Dinner by In-N-Out: Satisfy your appetite with In-N-Out burgers, available to those who pre-order tickets.

To purchase tickets, please contact Trailblazer Elementary at 719-328-6300. Payment is by cash or check only.

Don’t miss this warm and memorable night to connect with friends, family, and the Trailblazer community under the glow of lanterns and Colorado stars.

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – October 28, 2024 – Palmer High School, a cornerstone of Colorado Springs’ history and community, is excited to host its second Town Hall on renovation plans tonight at 6:00 PM in the Palmer High School Auditorium. This event offers students, alumni, parents, faculty, and local residents a unique opportunity to provide input, ask questions, and explore conceptual designs that will shape the school’s future.

As we reimagine Palmer’s facilities, we’re committed to preserving the school’s historic legacy while ensuring a learning environment that meets the needs of future generations. Attendees will have the chance to review proposed design plans and engage in discussions with the architects, project leaders, and school representatives, who are eager to receive input from our dedicated community.

Event Details:

What: Palmer High School Renovation Town Hall
When: Tonight, October 28, 2024. Doors open at 6:00 PM
Where: Palmer High School Auditorium, Colorado Springs, CO

Be a part of shaping the future of Palmer High School! Your perspective and questions are invaluable as we work to enhance our facilities for generations to come. Join us tonight and help us create a school that supports the dreams and successes of all who call Palmer home.

The Colorado Springs School District 11 (D11) and local industry leaders are committed to reshaping the future workforce through the power of apprenticeships, which offer students a pathway to high-quality careers while fueling the local economy and addressing critical workforce shortages. D11 is thrilled to invite media members to attend the Apprenticeship Career Fair on TUESDAY, October 29, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Roy J. Wasson Academic Campus on Afton Way in Colorado Springs. Hosted by D11’s Work-Based Learning & Peak Experiences in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and The Office of the Future of Work: Apprenticeship Colorado, the event will connect over 300 high school students with top employers across the region, demonstrating the significant economic and educational impact of “earn while you learn” apprenticeships.

Media Opportunities:

• Interviews: Hear from D11 leaders, apprenticeship coordinators, and representatives from partner organizations, including the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and The Office of the Future of Work: Apprenticeship Colorado.
• Student and Employer Perspectives: Capture conversations with students eager to explore their futures and employers committed to training the next generation of skilled workers in high-demand industries.
• Photo and Video Opportunities: Document students engaging in hands-on experiences, learning directly from employers about apprenticeships in culinary arts, healthcare, and the trades.

Apprenticeship Career Fair Highlights: This event is designed to introduce high school students to viable career pathways while creating a pipeline for essential skills within Colorado’s growing workforce. The fair will include industry leaders from fields such as:

• Culinary: Broadmoor Hotel, Creative Dining Services
• Trades/Construction: Colorado Springs Electrical JATC, Plumbers & Pipefitters
• Automotive: Mike Maroone Automotive
• Healthcare: CommonSpirit
• And More: Architecture, engineering, barbering, industrial sewing, and additional high-demand sectors.

The Value of Apprenticeships to Students and the Local Economy
With the dual goals of empowering young adults and meeting workforce needs, apprenticeships offer a compelling solution:

• Debt-Free Training: Apprentices earn while they learn, gaining vital skills without student debt.
• Competitive Salaries: Graduates of apprenticeship programs earn an average starting salary of $80,000 per year nationally.
• Long-Term Career Opportunities: Apprenticeships pave the way for stable, well-paying careers with growth potential, addressing shortages in skilled professions.

D11 and its partners recognize apprenticeships as a crucial step in reimagining and growing the local economy. This event provides a unique platform for students to ask questions, explore available programs, and see how apprenticeships can lead to fulfilling in-demand careers. 

Event Details:

• Date: TUESDAY, October 29, 2024
• Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Roy J. Wasson Academic Campus, Afton Way, Colorado Springs, CO

For additional information or to arrange interviews, please contact D11’s Work-Based Learning & Peak Experiences at the contact information below.

Join us to witness how apprenticeships are shaping both the future workforce and the economic landscape of Colorado Springs!

Colorado Springs - Students and teachers at Doherty High School will be conducting a mock election Tuesday October 29 and Wednesday October 30, 2024. Students have been researching and studying issues on the 2024 General Election ballot for Colorado and Colorado Springs. Students will use a state-of-the art online voting system as they participate in a mock election program sponsored by the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI), a national civic education program based at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. With millions of students expected to vote nationwide during the two-week voting period from October 21 to October 31, the YLI Mock Election is the largest secure, student-only online mock election in the nation. This will Doherty’s sixth Presidential election partnering with the University of Virginia Center for Politics and their YLI Mock Election. Doherty students have accurately picked the candidate who won the electoral college vote for each of those six elections. This simulated vote is done in conjunction with a series of civic activities shared by the staff and students at Doherty High School. Students have already interacted with the Election Department at El Paso Country Clerk and Recorders Office with their student election judge drive. Doherty has been the main supplier of student election judges in El Paso County since 2004 and currently has over 60 students who have been hired by the Clerk and Recorder’s Office to work the election as curbside helpers, intake helpers, and other various election positions on Monday, November 4th and Tuesday, November 5th. Lessons in U.S. Government classes have included the candidates and issues which are on this year’s ballot and have been done with objectivity and intense research. A national research study conducted by University of Virginia Center for Politics Director Larry J. Sabato and Chief of Staff Ken Stroupe found conclusively that the instructional components of the Youth Leadership Initiative can have a positive impact on students, and Stroupe found that “students in classes where teachers used the YLI Mock Election and the related lesson plans reported a higher tendency towards future political participation.” “Programs such as the YLI Mock election have the opportunity to excite students about our democracy. Students are empowered with a sense of “I can” optimism that will lead to a lifetime of civic involvement,” added Sabato. National and statewide results of the YLI Mock Election will be available the morning of Friday, November 1, 2024 on YLI’s website at www.youthleadership.net. 

Palmer High School Renovation Moves Forward with Strong Community Input: Town Hall Scheduled

Colorado Springs, CO – The Palmer High School renovation project is making significant strides, driven by extensive community engagement. With nearly 20,000 interactions the project has gathered invaluable feedback through a wide range of channels including workshops, digital communication, surveys, staff and student sessions and community discussions. This overwhelming participation is helping to shape a vision for Palmer High School that honors its rich history while fostering a forward-thinking, collaborative learning environment for future generations.

The design team, energized by this level of involvement, is excited to share some design concepts for the school. These concepts, which reflect the insights gathered through community feedback, will be presented at a public Town Hall meeting on Monday, October 28, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm in the Palmer High School auditorium. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Hear the results from the first phase of community engagement
• View preliminary design concepts for the school 
• Participate in discussions to provide additional input on initial design ideas

This meeting marks a critical point in the project as the community’s voice continues to guide the design team through the next phase of concept development. All are encouraged to attend and contribute to the future of Palmer High School.

For more information about the project or to submit feedback, please visit the project website at https://www.d11.org/palmerrenovations/home.