From Pilot Program to Full Class: Animas High School Takes Civic Engagement to New Heights

Last year, Animas High School tested the waters with a small pilot group of students attending the Colorado League of Charter Schools Advocacy Day at the State Capitol. The experience proved so transformative that the entire junior class is participating this year in what's shaping up to be an ambitious, multi-faceted civic engagement experience.

"This is about more than just charter school advocacy," Dean of Enrollment and Community Outreach Libby Cowles explained. "We're equipping our students with the advocacy skills and civic knowledge they need to be active participants in democracy—on issues they care about personally."

This year's program integrates civic education into the 11th grade U.S. Studies curriculum. The experience includes five components: participating in Advocacy Day at the Capitol, meeting with several nonprofits (including a youth engagement organization focused on harnessing young people’s political power to co-create a Colorado that serves all people), an affordable housing organization and an environmental issues organization and visiting the History Colorado Center.

The program connects directly to the humanities curriculum's exploration of "courage to create change." Students will synthesize their experiences into projects and share their work through community presentations following the trip. 

Join the Movement

This year's Colorado League of Charter Schools' Advocacy Day on Thursday, Jan. 29 was the largest, with more than 300 students from across Colorado interacting with their legislators and each other. Experiential learning opportunities like Advocacy Day offer invaluable preparation for the kind of civic engagement our communities need. 

When students practice researching policy, articulating their perspectives and engaging respectfully with elected officials on issues they care about, they're not just learning about democracy—they're living it.

That's the kind of education that creates engaged citizens who will continue advocating for their communities long after they leave our schools. For more information about the 2026 Advocacy Day, visit www.coloradoleague.org.