From Classroom to Community: Living Aspen Academy Values

Some of the most powerful lessons don’t happen sitting behind a desk at school. They happen when we step out of the classroom and into the world, carrying the values we’ve learned and putting them into action. This is something I’ve been privileged to witness over the past nine years as a volunteer at Aspen Academy, and recently, I saw it manifest in a whole new way with my granddaughter, Izzy.

In March, I witnessed our 7th graders dive into Junior Achievement’s Financial Literacy one-day program. It was more than just a game; it was a glimpse into the future. Seeing them navigate pre-assigned careers, budgets, and potential life choices sparked conversations that were equal parts fun and profound. They weren’t just learning about numbers—they were learning about responsibility, consequences of decisions, and the kind of life they want to build. It was a perfect example of how Aspen prepares our kids not just for a test, but for real life.

This summer, that preparation moved from theoretical to tangible. As part of her 8th-grade summer prep, Izzy needed to complete 10 community service hours. We chose Project Worthmore, an organization in Aurora that has been welcoming and supporting refugee and immigrant families to the Denver metro area since 2011. Their mission—to help people feel at home in a new culture—resonated deeply with our family’s core values.

Walking into their brand new facility for our first volunteer shift was incredible. This new facility will allow them to double their community reach. Their food bank isn’t just about providing food; it’s about providing dignity. Instead of canned and highly processed boxed foods, they focus on fresh fruits and vegetables that are familiar to the families they serve from places like Nepal, Syria, Somalia, and Colombia. On the day we were there, many of the families were Latino, and this is where the magic of an Aspen education truly shined through.

Without hesitation, Izzy jumped in, using her Spanish to connect with clients, help them fill their grocery bags, and make them feel seen and welcome. The other volunteers embraced us, creating a “no-judgment zone” where we all learned by doing. They taught us key phrases and showed us the power of simple human kindness as we learned their way of doing business.

This experience is the perfect bridge from the classroom to the community. Last year, Izzy poured her heart into studying for the National Civic Bee after writing a winning civics essay. Now, she’s taking that knowledge and using it in a practical way to help newcomers prepare for their citizenship exams through Project Worthmore’s prep program. Over the next year Izzy and I will meet weekly with a woman from Mexico to help improve her speaking and comprehension as well as learn US history and vocabulary words pertinent to the exam.  She’s moving from learning about civics to living civics.

This is the Aspen Academy promise in action: Be Kind. Do Good. Work Hard. Make the World Better. It’s seeing our children take the lessons of leadership, empathy, and global citizenship and apply them in the real world. It’s about understanding that education isn’t just about what you know, but about what you do with what you know.

We are so grateful to be part of a school culture that cultivates this kind of character and so excited to continue our journey with Project Worthmore throughout the coming year through their community circles to help new families improve their English skills. It’s a beautiful reminder that when we empower our children, they don’t just grow up—they show up to make a difference.