Compass Community Collaborative School Fort Collins

What if sewing a costume could spark an interest in engineering? 💡🎭

What if building cosplay props helped students develop real STEM skills?

Cosplay is so much more than costumes.

Behind every design is creativity, problem-solving, design thinking, and technical skill:

✨ Python Coding
✨ 3D printing
✨ Engineering wearable structures
✨ Sewing and textile design
✨ Foam crafting and prototyping
✨ Budgeting and project management

Students use design thinking to iterate, troubleshoot, revise, and bring ideas to life —the exact same mindset used in STEM careers and innovation spaces.

Sometimes the pathway into STEM starts with fandom, imagination, and the courage to create something from scratch.

This is what future-ready learning can look like. 💙

One of the most powerful parts of learning at Compass is that our students learn directly from experts in the community.

At this year’s Compass Comic Con, students had the opportunity to meet Ron Fortier, writer, editor, imagineer extraordinaire, and longtime comic book creator, who shared his work, creative process, and industry experience with students.

Ron brought examples of his incredible work spanning titles and universes including:

✨ Popeye
✨ Rambo
✨ Peter Pan
✨ Street Fighter
✨ The Green Hornet
✨ The Terminator
✨ Daughter of Dracula
…and more.

Experiences like this remind us that learning becomes more meaningful when students connect with real people doing real creative work in the world.

Whether it’s comic book storytelling, engineering, environmental science, design, entrepreneurship, or the arts, Compass believes students should have opportunities to explore passions alongside professionals who inspire them.

If you or someone you know has a talent or expertise to share to help inspire the next generation, we’d love to connect.

What makes hot sauce hot?

This last semester’s Chemistry of Cooking Venture class, students explored the science behind spice—and yes, there was plenty of hands-on (and taste-buds-on!) learning.

Students investigated:

🌡️ How pH affects flavor and preservation
🌶️ What capsaicin is and why it creates the sensation of heat
🧪 How receptor-mediated bonding makes your mouth feel “spicy”
🔥 How chemistry can make hot sauce hotter—or help tame the heat when needed

Along the way, they connected real chemistry concepts to something deliciously familiar: hot sauce.

This kind of learning is what Compass Venture classes are all about. It’s the exploration of big ideas through real experiences, curiosity, and collaboration. Sometimes that means lab tools. Sometimes that means peppers. Sometimes it means both!

fortcollins

In early May, future Compass students officially got their first glimpse of middle school!

Incoming 6th graders spent time exploring Compass, meeting teachers and student leaders, and getting to know some of the people who will become part of their new community this fall.

They also tackled their very first Compass design challenge: creating the tallest hat possible using only the mystery materials provided in a Ziplock bag 😄 The results were creative and seriously impressive.

There were games, laughs, lots of questions, and maybe a few nervous butterflies—but by the end of the visit, the excitement was definitely building.

We loved getting to know the Class of 2033 and cannot wait to see the energy, creativity, and curiosity this group brings to Compass next year. Welcome aboard!

Within minutes of yearbooks hitting campus last week, all sense of order disappeared 😄📖
Students took off in every direction in search of friends, favorite teachers, and anyone willing to contribute a memorable note.

“Never change.”
“Stay cool.”
“Have a great summer!”
“Remember that one time...”

A huge shoutout to our Compass Yearbook staff for creating a book packed with memories from the year. From Spirit Week and Ventures to field trips, competitions, performances, and everyday Compass moments, you captured the stories, friendships, and experiences that made this year special.

Now the pages are filled, the signatures are collected, and summer has officially arrived.
Have a great summer, Compass! ☀️✌️

By the end of May at Compass, things get a little chaotic in the best possible way.

Backpacks are half-zipped. Energy levels are questionable. Everyone is talking about summer. But before the school year officially wraps up, there’s one tradition students look forward to all year: Advisory Olympics!

Compass advisories are groups that travel through the ups and downs of the year together, celebrate wins, support each other, and build authentic connections. So when Advisory Olympics arrives, the competition gets serious.

For two days, students take on everything from engineering builds and scavenger hunts to athletic challenges and team competitions all across town. Every event calls for creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and a little bit of chaos.

There’s cheering and even some trash talk. There are victories to celebrate and hilarious failures. And somehow, through all of it, the entire school community comes together in a way that feels uniquely Compass.

These are the moments students remember long after the school year ends.

The Compass Class of 2026 was made up of students who accomplished exceptional things, and senior Bryson is no exception ✨

During his Senior Defense, Bryson reflected on some of the experiences that shaped his high school journey and helped prepare him for what comes next.

One standout experience was competing in the national Future City competition, where students imagined and designed what cities might look like 100 years into the future. Bryson also shared how much he grew through his three years in the Loveland Police Department Explorer Program, where he developed leadership skills, responsibility, and confidence through hands-on experience and service.

On top of all that, Bryson challenged himself academically by completing multiple college courses while attending Compass.

And he’s already launching straight into his future: Bryson has been hired as a Park Ranger and is currently completing water certification training that will qualify him to work on, in, and around water, including safety, rescue, and resource management. He graduates on Saturday and starts his job immediately after!

Bryson, your work ethic, determination, and drive have amazed us. We are so proud of you and cannot wait to see where your path leads next.