Animas High School prepares all students for college and postsecondary success by creating critical thinkers and engaged citizens through an innovative, student-centered, project-based curriculum. | | |
Greetings Ospreys,
Juniors, seniors and their guests turned out in force to celebrate at the AHS Prom last weekend. Congratulations to seniors Kena Piel, Bella Austin, Hannah Storm, Emma Burnett and Rosie LeCompte for successfully envisioning and executing a beautiful event. Thank you to our generous sponsors the Strater Hotel, Pine Needle Mountaineering, Maria's Bookshop and Peak Food and Beverage. Big thanks, too, to Osprey dad Art Cahill for volunteering his time to DJ, Drew Semel for capturing the beauty of the night in the photo booth and the "Prom Com Moms" for helping to transform the Pullman Room into a classy casino. And of course, thank you to our amazing faculty and staff for chaperoning and staffing the very popular poker tables!
The Art about Music exhibition at Zia Cantina and Student Showcase at iAM Music's Indigo Room were festive gatherings celebrating the creativity and talent of Ospreys. Thank you to all who attended!
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Week one of LINK Internships has come to a close, and the class of 2026 has been gaining newfound skills and experiences in the workforce. Work-based Learning Coordinator Elliot Baglini and the junior teaching team are conducting site visits to check in on the students and mentors. We love hearing updates and getting photos of them out in the wild, including these of Devin Osman doing Vet Tech work at Proanima in Montréal, Canada, Max Magee learning about engineering and manufacturing at StoneAge Waterblast Tools, Jack Ebright and Hunter Jeffries supporting small businesses at locally-owned Ted's Rental and Guild House Games respectively and Pax Paxton-Horn learnign the ins and outs of PT at Ohana Physical Therapy. Thank you to all the mentors who are making this valuable experience possible for our juniors.
This week's 9th Grade Career Fair brought another crew of generous folks to the Nest to share their professional paths and help students get a deeper understanding of various careers. Guests included Durango Mayor Gilda Yazzie, local culinary star Chef Safari, several Osprey parents and representatives from Four Corners Regional Airport, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, United Way, Durango Hot Springs, Southwest Conservation Corps and so many more businesses and organizations. Training up Ospreys for future careers is a big part of what we do here at AHS, and it's vital to expose them to a wide range of possibilities, give them knowledge and skills to choose paths and then let them test things out. We couldn't do it without the support of the volunteers who take them under their wings!
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Coming Next at the Nest
Freshmen are off to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park for their 9th grade class camping trip on Wednesday. They'll spend two nights in the field and return on Friday.
Sophomores head to the Vallecito Hydroelectric Generating Station and Sunnyside Solar Coop on Wednesday morning.
All current and incoming famileis are welcme at the final TWIGS Parent/Caregiver Coffee of the year on Friday at 8:30am. Mark your calendar for the TWIGS Spring Happy Hour, Thursday, May 8, 6pm at 11th Street Station.
Monday, May 5 is a Professional Development Day for staff, with no classes for students. It's also. the start of Teacher Appreciation Week. TWIGS Buds are looking for a few more donated items; see the Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week Sign Up!
Dean of College and Career Counseling Erin Cummins Roper will offer an Online Academic Advising Session for New Families on Tuesday, May 6, at 6pm designed to guide our newest Ospreys through the process of selecting classes.
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Senior Project Updates
Senior Project TED Talks have wrapped up and the class of 2025 now turns their full attention to Action Projects, which are designed to be ambitious and connected to the thesis topic, with a community impact.
Emma Burnett's thesis and TED Talk explored gender bias in medicine, with a particular focus on cardiovascular health. For her Action Project, Emma is hosting a screening of the movie Coco May 2 at Santa Rita Park. All profits from ticket sales will go to the Ludeman Family Center for Women's Health Research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Emma is off to CU Boulder in the fall to study Biomedical Sciences on a pre-med track, and we love the way she's connected her Action Project to her community and her future goals. Buy your tickets here and bring the whole family!
Rosie LeCompte delivered a powerful TED Talk this week on the impact of street art and can now be found in the AHS Commons painting a beautiful mural to leave as her legacy. She's solicited input from students, staff, families and alumni to gather key words that capture what it means to be an Osprey and will incorporate this community input into the nest. Rosie is off to art school in Southern California next fall to continue her studies. Want to pick up a brush and help her out? Reach out to her at r.lecompte25@animashighschool.com.
Congratulations to Hayden Bicknell for.hosting a well-attended and beautiful Feminist Poetry Open Mic last night at the Subterrian!
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Dan Juan College School of Energy Field Trip
Mark McGinnis '27, Animas Quill
Last Friday, the sophomores took a trip to San Juan College to speak to professors and students in the School of Energy about the inner workings of the industry and why they believe it's important, as well as what it's like to work in oil and gas related fields.
Sophomore Humanities Peter Bradley shared “The field trip [was] a great opportunity for students to learn from energy industry professionals about what it's like to work in the field and hear those who work predominantly in fossil fuel’s perspectives on the future of energy.”
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Students also got to learn with interactive modules that taught them how things work on a mechanical level, such as how to assemble part of a pipeline, or how to manage and measure pressure in gas pipes.
The trip ended with lunch and an insightful Q&A segment for students who asked questions
Sophomore Julian Reeves said “Personally I had a very good time, I think we all learned a lot about the energy industry in a way that relates to our project so far.”
This field trip was a part of the Energy Project, the end-of-year interdisciplinary core class project for sophomores. It is a project that helps students learn about the importance of energy in day to day life and how energy can be produced in a way that balances consumption needs with environmental justice.
The 10th graders will exhibit their Energy Museum at All-School Exhibition on May 15.
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AHS Board Update
We are thrilled to share that Lily Oswald '13 has joined the AHS Board of Directors!
Lily is a proud graduate of Animas High School’s first graduating class, part of the intrepid group of students who attended the school when it was located in the strip mall on North Main Avenue. Since her time at AHS, she has earned a B.A. in Planning, Public Policy, and Management from the University of Oregon, followed by a Master’s of City and Metropolitan Planning from the University of Utah. Over the past 12 years, Lily has applied her education and the foundational skills she developed at Animas in her work in community development across the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Lily was the Community Development Director of Ouray, Colorado until she accepted a job in Durango, where she now works as a Planner for the City.
Lily returned to her hometown of Durango in 2023 with her now husband and is thrilled for the opportunity to join the Animas High School Board of Directors. Lily is passionate about supporting the next generation of Ospreys and is committed to upholding the school’s legacy of creativity, student-centered learning, community engagement and a culture driven by multifaceted professional relevance that inspired her own journey. We are so excited to welcome this outstanding Osprey back to the Nest!
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We're Hiring
We hope to add Woodworking class to our 2025/26 Course Offerings and are seeking a Woodworking Instructor. Spread the word if you know a great candidate to teach the course, which would meet four days a week in our beautiful Makerspace. See Employment Opportunities on our website for full details and how to apply.
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AHS Yearbooks Now on Sale
Buy the 2024/25 AHS Yearbook! Yearbooks are $45 and will be on sale from now until graduation. They can be purchased through Jostens at this link.
The yearbook will arrive in early August, and the Quill will host a signing/decorating party. Stay tuned for more details!
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Fall 2025 Enrollment
Enrollment is open for Fall 2025! We strongly encourag families to visit our school. View the Campus Tour/Online Information RSVP Form to see dates/times and to sign up. Complete Fall 2025 Intent to Enroll Form to indicate your interest. We will contact you to let you know if there is a waitlist for the grade your student is entering in the fall. Reach out toour Dean of Enrollment and Community Outreach at libby.cowles@animashighschool.com with questions.
Enjoy the weekend and thanks for all you do to help the Ospreys soar!
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Upcoming Events
LINK Internships: Mon. 4/21 through Fri. 5/9
9th Grade Camping Trip: Wed. 4/30 through Fri. 5/2
Sophomore Energy Project Field Trip to Vallecito: Wed. 4/30
AHS Campus Tour: Thurs. 5/1, 8:45am; RSVP here
Professional Development Day (no classes): Mon. 5/5
Advancement Committee Meeting: Tues. 5/6, 9am
Academic Advising Online Session for New/Transfer Students and Families: Tues. 5/6, 6pm; via meet.google.com/vgt-cjux-gxs
Free Devo/AHS Mountain Biking Team Recruitment Ride: Thurs. 5/8
TWIGS Happy Hour: Thurs. 5/8, 6pm at 11th Street Station
AHS Student Film Festival: Tues. 5/13, 6-8pm, Durango Arts Center
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All School Exhibition: Thurs. 5/15, 5-7pm
11th Grade Camping Trip: Mon. 5/16 through Wed. 5/21
Last Day of Regular Classes: Tues. 5/20
Senior Supper (seniors and faculty): Thurs. 5/22, 6pm
AHS Graduation: Fri. 5/23, 4pm at Community Concert Hall; livestream link coming soon
Memorial Day Holiday (no school): Mon. 5/26
Transitional Presentations of Learning: Tues. 5/27 through Thurs. 5/29; no Hub Bus or Catered Lunch
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Educational programs, activities, and employment opportunities at AHS are offered without regard to disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, family composition, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry or need for special education services.
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