Colorado Academy
Encyclopedia
Colorado Academy is an independent nonsectarian
, co-educational, college preparatory
day school for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The school's 94 acres (380,404.8 m²) campus is located in Denver, Colorado
and provides educational opportunities for approximately 900 students.
and in 1947 moved from its location near the University of Denver
to its present location in southwest Denver. Enrollment declined after the move and the school was reorganized in 1951, this time as Colorado Military Academy.
In 1955 the school began shifting its focus away from military training. Under the leadership of F. Charles Froelicher, Colorado Academy emerged as a college preparatory school for boys. The school became coeducational in 1971 and has experienced steady growth since.
In the 2011 school year, Colorado Academy graduated 86 seniors, its largest class since its founding in 1906.
, fifth grade students visit Crow Canyon
, and eighth grade students go on an Outward Bound
Leadership and Communication Retreat. Week-long experiential programs, known as Interim, are available every spring to Upper and Middle School students.
The Upper School club Students HOPE (Helping Other People Eat) puts on a holiday party on the school's campus (transportation included) for nearly 1,600 homeless Denver residents, serving food and giving out toys.
The Upper School club Mustang Monthly releases a monthly newsletter on many current student-related news topics, including book reviews, current local and international happenings, and personal editorials.
The CA Mock Trial team, founded in 2008, qualified for the state tournament in its first, second, and third years of competition. Always placing in the top ten, CA Mock Trial has done very well for such a small school. Also in the third year of competition, CA Mock Trial sent its all freshman team to state. The students made up a vast majority of the freshman there and did fairly well placing 16th overall and lost only to teams that had both competed at nationals, one of which (Glenwood Springs) placed third in the 2011 national championship.
Other Upper School clubs include Yearbook, AfricAid (founded by alumna Ashley Shuyler
), and Faces of Diversity.
-sanctioned competition teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. These teams compete in 3A and 5A classification in the Metro League and Southern League. Additional competitive sports available to students include rock climbing and ultimate Frisbee. Non-competitive options include conditioning, cross-training, racquetball, and yoga.
State championship titles won by the school's teams include men's soccer (1998, 1999), women's soccer (1999, 2003), women's field hockey (1997), women's lacrosse (2000), women's golf (2007, 2008), women’s track and field (1983), women's ultimate frisbee (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) and men's ultimate Frisbee (2008)
Nonsectarian
Nonsectarian, in its most literal sense, refers to a lack of sectarianism. The term is also more narrowly used to describe secular private educational institutions or other organizations either not affiliated with or not restricted to a particular religious denomination though the organization...
, co-educational, college preparatory
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
day school for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The school's 94 acres (380,404.8 m²) campus is located in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
and provides educational opportunities for approximately 900 students.
History
Colorado Academy was established in 1906 as the Hill School for Boys in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Between 1906 and 1919, the school went through several name changes before settling on the Collegiate Military School. Military training was incorporated into the curriculum and the school changed name once more to Colorado Military School in 1923. The school outgrew its space during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and in 1947 moved from its location near the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
to its present location in southwest Denver. Enrollment declined after the move and the school was reorganized in 1951, this time as Colorado Military Academy.
In 1955 the school began shifting its focus away from military training. Under the leadership of F. Charles Froelicher, Colorado Academy emerged as a college preparatory school for boys. The school became coeducational in 1971 and has experienced steady growth since.
In the 2011 school year, Colorado Academy graduated 86 seniors, its largest class since its founding in 1906.
Campus
The school's present campus was purchased in 1947. Then known as the Kirk estate, it had been the country home of Jesse Welborn, president of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. The campus has 12 main buildings, Knowles Upper School, the Lower School, Chowdry Middle School, Raether Library, Newton Athletic Center, Froelicher Theatre, Schotters Music Building, Welborn House (administration), Smith Center (administration), Stevens Arts Center/photography lab, Pre-Kindergarten, and the Campus Center/Bookstore. The CA campus also has a number of athletic fields, such as Stuie's Courts (8) (Tennis), Wright field (lacrosse/soccer), East field 1 (practice/ultimate frisbee), East field 2 (practice/ultimate frisbee), Simms Field (soccer), Firman field (soccer/practice), Slater Field (turf)(lacrosse/soccer), and the baseball diamond.Curriculum
At CA, academic rigor, small classes, and strong individual attention are the core of the curriculum. The strong relationship between students, parents and teachers is central to CA’s mission and culture. Sharing the methods and goals CA uses to educate the students is one way CA enhances this relationship. Curriculum maps provide an overview of each class in the school. Because of this, CA sends 100% of graduating seniors to the nation's top colleges and universities and more than 125 admission officers from around the country come to recruit CA seniors every year.Extracurricular activities
Activities unique to Colorado Academy include annual overnight trips—third grade students to the Plains Conservation CenterPlains Conservation Center
The Plains Conservation Center an outdoor education facility and state-designated natural area located in Colorado. Its motto is to preserve Colorado's prairies, educate children about Colorado's eco-history, and nurture conservation efforts. The center comprises two sites totaling approximately ...
, fifth grade students visit Crow Canyon
Crow Canyon Archaeological District
Crow Canyon Archaeological District is a historic site in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, about 30 miles southeast of the city of Farmington. Located in Dinétah, the traditional homeland of the Navajo people, the site contains a variety of Navajo ruins and rock art from the 16th, 17th, and 18th...
, and eighth grade students go on an Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
Leadership and Communication Retreat. Week-long experiential programs, known as Interim, are available every spring to Upper and Middle School students.
The Upper School club Students HOPE (Helping Other People Eat) puts on a holiday party on the school's campus (transportation included) for nearly 1,600 homeless Denver residents, serving food and giving out toys.
The Upper School club Mustang Monthly releases a monthly newsletter on many current student-related news topics, including book reviews, current local and international happenings, and personal editorials.
The CA Mock Trial team, founded in 2008, qualified for the state tournament in its first, second, and third years of competition. Always placing in the top ten, CA Mock Trial has done very well for such a small school. Also in the third year of competition, CA Mock Trial sent its all freshman team to state. The students made up a vast majority of the freshman there and did fairly well placing 16th overall and lost only to teams that had both competed at nationals, one of which (Glenwood Springs) placed third in the 2011 national championship.
Other Upper School clubs include Yearbook, AfricAid (founded by alumna Ashley Shuyler
Ashley Shuyler
Ashley Shuyler is the founder of AfricAid, a nonprofit organization that supports girls’ education in Africa in order to provide young women with the opportunity to transform their own lives and the futures of their communities...
), and Faces of Diversity.
Athletics
Colorado Academy fields Colorado High School Activities AssociationColorado High School Activities Association
The Colorado High School Activities Association is the governing body for all high school activities throughout the state of Colorado. It was founded in 1921, and currently has a membership of 328 full-time high schools, plus more than 50 middle and junior high schools, for a total of almost 400...
-sanctioned competition teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. These teams compete in 3A and 5A classification in the Metro League and Southern League. Additional competitive sports available to students include rock climbing and ultimate Frisbee. Non-competitive options include conditioning, cross-training, racquetball, and yoga.
State championship titles won by the school's teams include men's soccer (1998, 1999), women's soccer (1999, 2003), women's field hockey (1997), women's lacrosse (2000), women's golf (2007, 2008), women’s track and field (1983), women's ultimate frisbee (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) and men's ultimate Frisbee (2008)
Notable alumni
- Teel BivinsTeel BivinsMiles Teel Bivins served as United States ambassador to Sweden between 2004 and 2006. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 21, 2004, and sworn in at Washington D.C., on May 26. He presented his credentials to King Carl XVI Gustaf in Stockholm on June 9...
, US ambassador to Sweden, 2004–06, Tulane UniversityTulane UniversityTulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
- Ashley ShuylerAshley ShuylerAshley Shuyler is the founder of AfricAid, a nonprofit organization that supports girls’ education in Africa in order to provide young women with the opportunity to transform their own lives and the futures of their communities...
, Humanitarian, Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... - Paul WyliePaul WyliePaul Stanton Wylie is an American figure skater and 1992 Olympic silver medalist.-Biography:Born in Dallas, Texas, Wylie began skating at the age of three. At age eleven, his family moved to Denver, Colorado, where he began to train with Carlo Fassi...
, Olympic figure skater, Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
Former headmasters
- F. Charles Froelicher (1955–1975)
- Frank Wallace (1976–1990)
- Christopher H. Babbs (1991–2008)