Why National Organizations Keep Recognizing Aspen Academy

Aspen Academy has earned recognition from some of the most respected voices in American education — not because we campaigned for awards, but because our outcomes speak for themselves.

Aspen Academy in Greenwood Village, Colorado is a nationally recognized Preschool–8 grade independent honored for academic excellence, leadership development, and character education. Awards from organizations including Niche, Denver Business Journal, and Colorado Parent reflect consistent student outcomes that rank among the top independent schools in Colorado.

Aspen Academy Awards & Recognition

When the World Notices, Your Child Benefits

Awards don't make a school great. Great schools earn awards.

At Aspen Academy, recognition follows outcomes — not the other way around. Every honor on this page reflects a deliberate commitment to building something most schools only talk about: an environment where academic excellence, leadership development, and character formation aren't competing priorities. They're one unified mission.

What does national recognition mean for your child? It means the standards that earned these awards are present every day in every classroom — shaping who your child becomes long after they leave us.

The Record Speaks

Aspen Academy in Greenwood Village, Colorado is a nationally and regionally recognized PreK–8 independent school honored across academic excellence, school culture, environmental leadership, and business innovation. Recognition spans the U.S. Department of Education, Denver Business Journal, ColoradoBiz Magazine, and Colorado's leading parent publications — making Aspen one of the most consistently decorated independent schools in the Denver Metro region.

The Pattern Behind the Plaques

Most schools earn recognition in one category. Aspen has earned it across academic quality, workplace culture, environmental leadership, business innovation, founder achievement, and community impact — consistently, over more than seven years.

That's not luck. That's architecture.

The same leadership that built an award-winning workplace built an award-winning school. The same values that earned a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon are taught in your child's classroom. The same founder who holds a patent in educational innovation is the one who designed the learning environment your child walks into every morning.

Recognition confirms what our families already know: Aspen isn't like other schools.

What Does It Take to Be Recognized at This Level?

Most schools receive one or two regional honors over a decade. Aspen has earned repeated recognition across academic rigor, leadership development, character education, and school culture — because we refuse to optimize for one metric at the expense of another.

Here's what evaluators consistently cite when recognizing Aspen:

• Academic outcomes that exceed Colorado averages without sacrificing creativity or joy
• Leadership programs — including Bears' Student Enterprises — that develop entrepreneurial thinking from an early age
• Faculty excellence with deep investment in professional development and personalized instruction
• Character culture where kindness isn't a poster on the wall — it's a measured, taught, and modeled practice

Media Inquiries and Speaker Requests

We welcome those seeking to schedule interviews, inquire about Aspen Academy or for editorial content to contact our team. Our Head of School, Kristina Scala is a sought after speaker on topics of leadership, entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, cultural responsiveness and strategic planning. We also have members of the Aspen Academy leadership team that regularly participate in speaking engagements.

For media and speaker requests please contact Theresa Letman at theresa.letman@aspenacademy.org.

Looking for a speaker for an upcoming event?

WE LOVE TO SPEAK!

We're available to provide engaging and actionable tips for parents from workplace lunch and learns and Mom's groups, to community groups and more! Sample topics include:

Teaching Leadership to 4-Year Olds
Studies show the increasing need for leadership of self to begin at even earlier ages to foster resilience and positive and productive approaches to the world. Learn strategies for supporting your child!

Building Resilient Teens: How Focus on Character & Leadership Development Supports Students and Brings Out Their Best
Tweens and Teens suffer from increasing depression and anxiety. Learn productive ways to respond to your child and foster resilience as a positive and productive response to challenges.

Values Aligned: Creating Your Day to Day Life to Reflect What You Value
With constant demands on our time, we often overlook our values and prioritize on the urgent vs. the important. Learn how strategies to create space for more of your values in your daily life.

Power of Optimism and Positivity in Your Home or Workplace
Maintaining a positive outlook can add years to your life. Learn about research in positive psychology and it’s impact on our day-to-day approach to living longer and with more optimism.

Click here to schedule a speaker