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,
As a reminder, Monday May 5 is a Professional Development Day for staff, with no classes for students. We are in the final month of the school year, with All School Exhibition just under two weeks away, Graduation for the class of 2025 three weeks from today on May 23 and Transitional Presentations of Learning for all 9th, 10th and 11th graders wrapping the year up on May 27-29.
Ninth graders returned from their camping trip in the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park this afternoon and juniors will camp in Canyonlands National Park May 19-21. These end-of-year trips are intentionally designed to foster community-building, connection to place and authentic reflection. It can be a heavy lift to get an entire grade out to wild places, and we're grateful to our faculty for all the time and energy it demands. Thank you too, to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and especially our guide Ricky, for welcoming us to their land and to Dean of Experiential Education Ashley Carruth for all the trip coordination and planning. We hope students return home with lifelong memories, strong relationships and an appreciation for the way we do things a little differently here at AHS.
Now is the time for current families to re-register for the 2025/26 school year. Please be sure that you have completed the re-registration steps for all current 9th, 10th and 11th grade families--it should take just a few minutes. Email Heather Prekup at regisrar@animashighschool.com with questions.
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Seniors are hosting two community events as part of their Senior Projects this weekend, starting with Emma Burnett's "Coco in the Park" screening tonight at 7pm in Santa Rita Park, and then Ruby Hamilton's Wise Woman intergenerational gathering Sunday at 2pm at the Gable House Bed & Breakfast. Ruby studied folklore for her thesis and has envisioned this event as a way to connect her peers with those with more life experience. All are welcome; RSVP here.
The iAM Music Fest this weekend will include several Osprey musicians, both students and teachers, playing in the 30 bands around town. See the full schedule for details. High school students can get in for $5 with a student ID, and AHS Music students can attend for free.
| | Dean of College and Career Counseling Erin Cummins Roper will offer an Online Academic Advising Session for New Families on Tuesday at 7pm designed to guide our newest Ospreys through the process of selecting classes for next year. Erin will highlight elective and Osprey Block offerings in the 25/26 Course Catalog while helping incoming families and students think strategically about requesting courses that best fit postsecondary goals. Log on via meet.google.com/vgt-cjux-gxs to join. The session will be recorded and shared with all new families afterwards as well. | | |
We'd love to see the AHS Mountain Biking Team grow next fall, and have organized a free event for next Thursday in partnership with Durango Devo to give students a taste of the program. Current AHS students and staff are invited to meet up at the Rec Center at 4:30pm, or ride together from campus. All skill levels are welcome! Learn more about how AHS student athletes train and travel with DHS riders to the Colorado High School Cycling League's fall series of races here. The season starts August 19, and families can register through Durango Devo once it opens. Scholarships and loaner bikes are available!
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Join us at 11th Street Station on Thursday at 6pm for the final TWIGS Happy Hour of the year. We encourage new AHS families with students enrolled for fall 2025 to attend--it's a great chance to get to know other Animas families. We'll raise a toast to the 25/26 TWIGS Buds, the organizing committee that has spearheaded this year's family engagment events and teacher appreciation efforts, including next week's Staff Appreciation Week festivities.
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Week two of LINK Internships is coming to a close, and word from the field is that our juniors continue to thrive in their full-time placements! We are so grateful for the businesses, organizations and mentors that make this experience possible for them, including, pictured here:
The class of 2026 will return to the Nest on Monday, May 12.
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Sophomores Continue Energy Studies in the Field
Mark McGinnis '27, Animas Quill
On Wednesday, the sophomores continued their exploration of local energy infrastructure on a field trip to the Sunnyside Solar Farm and Vallecito Dam. In collaboration with LPEA, the purpose of this trip was to learn about the renewable energy sources in our area, and what role they play in our local grid.
Tenth grade Physics teacher Julian Springer shared, “It's exciting from the Physics teacher standpoint of getting to see the machines that are enacting the physics principles. We can talk about it as much as we want, but until you actually see it and feel the floor vibrating from water flow or put your hands on the pipes and feel heat generated by these energy exchanges, everything we learn feels a little abstract. So seeing those things in action is always great.”
This interdisciplinary project helps students learn about the importance of energy in day-to-day life in a scientific and mathematical context. From the humanities angle, the project examines how energy can be produced in a way that balances consumption needs with environmental justice.
The sophomores had the special treat of having former AHS Chemistry teacher Steve Smith as a guest speaker. Although he is greatly missed at Animas, Steve takes joy in his new job at LPEA. He shared, “I was inspired to make a career shift and work for LPEA because I was looking to learn new things, and this career path allowed me to do that and also allowed me to work in field where I think there’s a real need to make decisions that that can benefit our community.”
The Energy Project will be exhibited at All-School Exhibition on May 15th.
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Animas Wilderness Experience
AnnaMae O'Keefe '28, Animas Quill
The Animas Wilderness Exploration (AWE) crew returned from their camping trip after spending five days fully immersed in canyon wilderness at Grand Gulch.
The AWE program, a culminating experience of the Outdoor Leadership elective, is focused on teaching students leadership skills and practicing them in real world situations by testing their tolerance for uncertainty and overcoming challenges using resources they bring with them.
This year’s trip took students through a multitude of situations in the backcountry that gave them opportunities to overcome challenges. Outdoor leadership instructor and AWE trip leader Genevieve Buzan-Dansereau shared, “On this trip we were tested by both snow and sweltering heat. It was important to manage our resources. On the last day of our trip, we thought we weren’t going to have any water at camp, so each of us carried 6 liters of water or roughly 13 extra pounds. So that really tested our grit.”
The AWE students had prepared for such situations. They focused on showing their skills and competence on things like tying knots, efficient packing, gear management and repair, meal preparation, and important group communication. On a trip like this, collaboration is essential for everyone to complete tasks and enjoy their experience. Students need to practice conflict resolution, assertive communication, decision making, and judgment.
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The students are heavily involved in planning the trips; they spend class time proposing routes, emergency planning, and prioritizing resources and packing space. Genevieve explained how leadership can look in the field: “On the trip, students have the opportunity to be the leader of the day and step into the role of an instructor managing the trip by briefing the group on our route and navigating during the day, as well as keeping timers, managing break times, and making sure important tasks are getting done.”
The upperclasspeople participating in this trip missed out on the AHS prom, prioritizing this amazing learning experience. Genevieve and Ashley made that night special by hiking in a mini disco ball and streamers to surprise their students with their own outdoor prom night. “We knew that Mitchell and Kyle would be missing prom for this trip, so we sent them off for a brief reflection on the trip so far, and while they were gone we set up decorations and music to surprise them. So for the rest of the trip after that we hiked around with a disco ball.”
Students interested in future AWE experiences should sign up for Julian’s Intro to Outdoor Recreation class first semester, which is a prerequisite for Genevieve’s Outdoor Leadership class.
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Bennet Esterday Travels to State Science Fair
Zoe Boespflug '27, Animas Quill
Tenth grader Bennett Esterday was recently selected out of 300 finalists for the Colorado State Science and Engineering Fair at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
The goal of the science fair is to honor student excellence in mathematics, science, technology, and engineering to provide opportunities for students all around Colorado.
Bennett studied and researched the question: Can auxin hormones within cellular systems of Solanum lycopersicum (Roma tomatoes) be manipulated by an external treatment of auxin in a measured amount to gain control of the chemical growth system?
Bennett explained the process: “Essentially what you have to do to get in is to form an original research project. You have to outline it, complete it, create a hypothesis, null hypothesis and from there at the end record data, and come to a conclusion about your study.”
This project consisted of roughly 100 hours of Bennett’s time outside of school. “I think out of the whole process the most challenging part was finding where to start, finding a project that would inevitably be successful in the end, finding potential research flaws and holes, it’s long, it’s time consuming, but overall it’s very, very worth it.”
Anyone can apply to the fair if you are in middle school or high school. Bennett recommends that interested students look into it: “I think everyone should do it, even if you do it once put your all into it, enjoy it, it’s such a fun process it’s wonderful.”
Be sure to ask Bennett about his experience at the fair and his fascinating research project!
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School Leadership Update from the AHS Board
The AHS Board of Directors has been hard at work to ensure we have solid leadership for our school after Rebecca's departure. We will contract with a search firm to assist us in a national search for a permanent Head of School to begin in Fall 2026.
Current AHS staff will take on interim roles to lead the school during the 2025/26 academic year. We are currently in the application process for those interim leadership positions and will share more information about next year's school leaders in a few weeks.
Thank you,
Michelle Bonanno and Greg Phillips
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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
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, 7pm; via meet.google.com/vgt-cjux-gxs
School Excellence Committee Meeting: Thurs. 5/8, 12pm
Free Devo/AHS Mountain Biking Team Recruitment Ride: Thurs. 5/8
TWIGS Happy Hour: Thurs. 5/8, 6pm at 11th Street Station
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AHS Student Film Festival: Tues. 5/13, 6-8pm, Durango Arts Center
Final Advisory Meeting: Wed. 5/14
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
Final Clubs and XBlocks: Wed. 5/21
Final NEST Meeting: Thurs. 5/22, 2:15pm
Senior Supper (seniors and faculty): Thurs. 5/22, 6pm
Advisory Olympics: Fri 5/23, 8:25am-12:30pm; early release at 12:30pm
Graduation Dress Rehearsal and Class Photo: Fri. 5/23, 8:30am
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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