Achieving Excellence Academy – Summer Learning Opportunity for Current 8th, 9th, and 10th Graders
2025 Achieving Excellence Academy
Location: TBD
June 9 – July 2, 2025
Monday-Friday, 8:30 – 1:30 p.m.
What is the AEA?
The Achieving Excellence Academy (AEA) is a cultural summer program that highlights the experiences of Black/African-American, Latino/a/LatinX, and Asian American/Pacific Islander/AAPI students, families, and educators. The program serves as one district initiative especially for the support, encouragement, and development of students of marginalized identities, and all rising 9th through rising 12th graders are welcome to apply.
Our Vision – AEA Year 3 and Beyond
The AEA envisions a future where students of marginalized identities and resilience are regularly celebrated and experience JOY! The AEA serves as one district initiative to interrupt and co-create improved Student, Adult, and System Experiences that promote student voice, belonging, connection, and change-making. AEA students are encouraged to learn who they are (self-identity and the excellence that resides within), what they are passionate about (and the power in community and coalition-building), and who they want to be (for themselves and in-service of others). It is our greatest hope for students to return each summer of the AEA program through their high school graduation year.
Class of 2023-24 SY
Class of 2022-23 SY
Student/Family/Guardian Information
Student Applicant/Family/Guardian Must Commit To:
AEA Dates: June 9 – July 2, 2024 - Location, TBD
2025-26 School Year: quarterly remote AEA student/teacher check-ins
Cultural Learning & Leadership: with a desire to return to the AEA each Summer.
Staff Information
Next Steps – Staff Must Commit To:
Pre-Program:
MARCH – MAY: In-person PLC planning sessions (held at The Emily Griffith Campus).
Summer – August: rolling, remote AEA staff/student/parent program enrollment & relationship-building conversations
During Program:
All staff AEA in-building set-up/prep day
All staff AEA students/families orientation
Daily: 8:05 AM morning team huddles
Daily: EOD PM afternoon team huddles
June 9 – July 2, 2025 (Program)
Monday – Friday (8:00 am – 2:00 pm)
Cultural Excursions/Field Trips (8:00 – 4:30 pm)
July 2, 2024: Commencement at the University of Denver (10:00 – 3:30 pm)
**Community partners will lead/facilitate 120-minutes/daily instruction throughout the AEA (4-weeks). PLUS lead their excursion/field trip.
Post- Program:
Sept 2025: Inform AEA leadership team of 2024-25 AEA return plans.
Oct 2025 – May 2026: Maintain/build relationships with AEA students/families
Sept 2025 – May 2026: Bi-Monthly – collaborative planning session with AEA Leadership team.
