CCIC Update
May 17, 2024
Principal's Update
Dear CCIC students and families,
As we close out the 2023-24 school year, I reflect back on another year with incredible community support, thanks to all of you, along with our industry and community partners!
This year especially, with the planning for a CCIC 2.0 in the works, we’ve leaned heavily on our community to guide us in the planning process for specific ways to expand our courses and pathways here at the CCIC. The expansion, planned for August of 2026 and reliant on the passage of a bond measure this November, will double the square footage of the CCIC. Since we are already at full enrollment and have significant waitlists in most pathways, the need for our expansion is key to meet growing student interest, community growth, and industry employment needs.
In conjunction with our partners at DLR Group Architects, we are excited to have a fantastic plan for expansion in several new areas:
- Aerospace Engineering, specifically Mechatronics
- Advanced Electronics, including Avionics
- Baking and Pastries
- EMT
- Film
- Motion Design
- HVAC
- Veterinary Technician Assistant
- Welding
All of these new pathways hold to the same standard as our current pathways:
- Each new pathway allows for industry certification that can be earned by students while here and that result in family-wage entry jobs.
- Each new pathway allows for the potential of college credit to be earned.
- Each new pathway credentials (certifications) are “stackable”. That stackability means that students can build upon the certification they earn here after the CCIC, often building these into significant, high-wage careers.
Finally, and equally exciting, we are planning to add a CCIC Event Center in the new build with the following features:
- Seating at rounds for as many as 450-500 with a stage
- Pre-function/registration space
- Two break-out rooms for as many as 30-40
- Catering kitchen
While we will not host private events, we very much look forward to hosting school district, industry, chamber of commerce, and corporate events.
None of this would be possible without the investment, guidance, and planning help from all of you, as well as our industry and community partners. In fact, if you are interested in being a part of the Industry Advisory Councils for these new pathways, please do not hesitate to reach out to us and let us know.
We cannot thank you enough for your continued support of the CCIC, the school district, and our students!
All the best for a fantastic summer.
Steve
Important Dates at CCIC
CCIC Last Day for Students - May 17
The last day for CCIC classes is Friday, May 17th! Teachers and staff will be in the building the week of May 20th.
Good luck on finals at your home high school and have a fantastic summer!
CCIC Summer Course Registration Deadline - May 28
CCSD Summer School is offering several in-person summer courses at CCIC during Session 1 (June 3 - June 21; no classes on June 19). Classes run from 8 AM - 12 PM each day. The deadline to register is May 28, 2024. Transportation is not available for summer courses at CCIC. Classes being offered:
- Beginning Woodworking
- Computer Aided Design (Dual Enrollment Credit through MSU available)
- Hospitality & Culinary Career Exploration
- Introduction to Computer Programming
- Photography (Concurrent Enrollment Available)
Uniform Recycling
Our end-of-semester Uniform Recycling program is underway. Please drop off any unwanted uniforms you do not want in the collection bin, in the main lobby.
Uniforms will be washed and stored for future CCIC students. Donating good quality uniforms helps families in our community and helps the environment by reducing carbon, water and waste footprints. Thank you!
CCIC Teachers Presented with ProStart Hall of Flame Excellence Award
The Cherry Creek Innovation Campus staff congratulates CCIC students Anderson Naff and Alexander Buchanan, this year’s recipients of the CCIC Nicholas LeClaire Memorial Scholarship!
Anderson and Alexander each earned a $5000 scholarship to be applied to the advanced training programs they intend to pursue after high school. Anderson plans to major in Mechanical Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, and Alexander will be completing his flight training to become a commercial pilot at Western Air Flight Academy, as well as in the pilot program at Metropolitan State University of Denver. We applaud both Anderson and Alexander on their exemplary work here at the CCIC, and wish them well on the next steps of their career journeys!
Anderson Naff
Alexander Buchanan
CCSD Hero Award
CCIC team member Consuelo Martinez was recognized by Superintendent Chris Smith as a Cherry Creek Hero. Consuelo came to the aid of CCIC volunteer Tom Werzyn during a medical event and made sure he received the care he needed. During the award presentation, Tom called Consuelo his "guardian angel" and credited her with saving his life. CCIC is lucky to have both Conseulo and Tom on the team!
Cherry Creek Heroes is a recognition program designed to celebrate any member of our community who contributes to the district in an extraordinary way: someone who goes above and beyond normal expectations to help or support Cherry Creek Schools students, staff, or schools. If you know of a student, parent, employee, or community member whose exceptional service or amazing action has made a positive difference to the students, staff, schools, or families in our district, please let us know!
Health & Wellness: Certified Nurse Aide Pinning Ceremony
Congratulations to CCIC's 100+ students who completed the Certified Nurse Aide course this Spring! This number includes 15 high school and adult students in CCIC's inaugural evening CNA class.
CNA students and their families are invited to participate in a pinning ceremony after successful completion of coursework. The Pinning Ceremony for nursing programs honors and celebrates students' journey in healthcare. We wish all of our CNA students best of luck on their Certified Nurse Aide Certification test!
SkillsUSA State Competition
In April, CCIC students from Aerospace Manufacturing, Automotive, Drone Pilot & Infrastructure Engineering excelled at the State SkillsUSA competition in Pueblo. Congratulations to:
Gold Medalists:
- Construction TeamWorks - Joe Wehrman, Parker Hartley, Carson Burke & Paul Powell
- Electrical Wiring - Adrian Pinedo
- Technical Math - Anderson Naff
- Technical Drafting - Ben Rewerts
- Job Skills Demonstration - Adrian Pinedo
- Prepared Speech - Maggie Kalish
- Job Interview - Ella Kristiseter
- Chapter Display - James Li, Soren Peterson, Dallin Bowman
- Auto Maintenance & Light Repair - James Li
- Masonry - Charles Pritchett
- Automated Manufacturing Technology - Kestin Kuhn, Jack Kish & Alex Ulasewich
- CNC 3 Axis Machining - Ben Callan
SIlver Medalists:
- Technical Drafting - Amanuel Mekonnen
- Job Skills Demonstration - Clayton Taylor
- Extemporaneous Speaking - Samuel Densmore
- Prepared Speech - Zack Sadovnik
- Cabinetmaking - Jack Adams
- Facilitation - Ella Kristiseter
- Plumbing - Anna George
- Additive Manufacturing - Samuel Densmore & Zack Sadovnik
- CNC 3 Axis Machining - Anderson Naff
Bronze Medalists:
- Electrical Wiring - Colton Spenhoff
- Technical Math - Audrey Rosen
Twelve CCIC students across pathways will compete at the National SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta this June. Thank you to all volunteers and industry partners who helped make the day a first-class regional competition!
Aerospace Manufacturing: Gene Haas Foundation Scholarships
Thirteen CCIC Aerospace Manufacturing students recently received scholarships from the Gene Haas Foundation. The funds will be used for tools as students enter the workforce or tuition for higher education in Manufacturing or aerospace/mechanical engineering. Congratulations to:
- Luis Antonio Firo Bautista - -$500
- Ben Callan - $500
- Brady Morgan - $500
- Brody Kindred - $500
- Davin Price - $500
- Anderson Naff -$750
- Ben Rewerts - $750
- Brendan Cummings - $750
- Max Taravella - $750
- Ryan Dumonceau - $750
- Connor Sauther - $750
Automotive: Spring Car Show
CCIC Automotive students coordinated and hosted the 2024 Spring Car Show! CCIC staff, students and community members displayed a wide range of vehicles on a Sunday morning in April.
Arrow Electronics brought a semi-autonomous motorcar (SAM) designed for quadriplegic former racecar driver Sam Schmidt. The SAM program prototypes new mobility technologies and continues to innovate and enhance new technologies to offer ever-higher levels of control and decision-making for people with disabilities. Read More
Arrow Electronics McLaren
1995 Chevy
Business: Denver Metro Project Management Education Foundation Scholarships
Representatives Chuck Knezevich, Bob Kois, and Mary Ann Ott of the Denver Metro Project Management Education Foundation (DMPMEF) visited the CCIC Business Pathway and awarded five scholarships on April 11th. Tyler Orwa, Georgia Lujan, Riley Breen, Kya Odejewski, and Christianna Duthie were each awarded $2,000 toward tuition, books, or associated expenses for the 2024-2025 academic year at the college/university of their choice. Riley Breen and Christianna Duthie also won the Colorado PMI High School Project of the year with their Echo Walkers project. Both students were featured at the annual Colorado PMI Symposium only days earlier. We are so proud of our outstanding project management students and appreciate our incredible partnership with DMPMEF.
Drone Pilot: Exploring Drone Features
The CCIC has purchased PIX4D photogrammetry software, which allows students to produce 3D imagery using photographs collected with a drone. This imagery is used across a wide range of industries, from surveying to mining, to get accurate measurements of an area very quickly.
The students flew a mission over the front of the school to produce the 3D image shown. As annotated in the photo, the school's flagpole was determined to be 24.5 feet tall from the 3D image.
Drone pilot students also learned about a feature in the new Mavic Mini4 drones that allows operators to pre-program a flight route with the option of keeping the camera pointed at a point, or points, of interest. Here is the video of the drone circling the front of the building while keeping the camera pointed at the front doors.
IT: Capstone Projects
In Capstone IT, students who have completed second level IT courses work as teams to solve real world problems faced by our business & industry partners. Watch the GVTV video below to learn more about this year's Capstone IT projects. This year's Capstone IT projects include:
- Helios Project - Robot Security Dog
- Face Recognition Attendance Program
- App Based Assistive shoes for the visually impaired
- Audio encryption using musical notes
- Sidars intrusion detection system
STEAM: Product Design Bridge Contest
Congratulations to CCIC Product Design students Mikita Siaeheyu and Quinlan Bradley for placing in the Colorado Model Bridge Building Contest:
- Mikita Siaeheyu - 1st place finish
- Quinlan Bradley - 4th place finish
First place winners receive $500 and a $1,500 College Scholarship valid for enrollment in an accredited Engineering program.
The annual contest is a statewide program aimed at providing interaction and communication among practicing engineers, high school students, and other professionals. Its underlying objectives are to enhance the appeal of engineering careers to high school students, begin establishing their relationships with the professional community, and improve the prospects that such careers will be mutually beneficial to both society and the individual. Bridges built from basswood and non-metal cables are tested by a load device to measure the structural efficiency. More Info
Private Pilot Ground School: Centennial Airport Control Tower Visit
Students from the Private Pilot Ground school class toured the Centennial Airport Control Tower where they were able to observe air traffic controllers managing the air traffic around the airport. One student commented "it was really cool to see the controllers managing aircraft on the ground, on the runways and in the air...all things we've learned about in class!"
Hospitality & Tourism: Campus Creations Food Bus
CCIC's new Food Truck Bus has been named Campus Creations. The next step is finalizing a design for the graphic wrap.
Hospitality students gave the bus a trial run to distribute ice cream to graduating Seniors on CCIC's Senior Celebration days.;
Aviation Maintenance: Sierra Nevada Corporation Donates 2 APUs
Sierra Nevada Corporation recently donated two Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) from the planes used in the Nightmare Taskforce. The commander of the unit, Lt. Col. Guzman, and his team presented the APUs and spent time speaking with students about the importance of Aviation Mechanics.
This donation is greatly appreciated and will benefit our powerplant program at the CCIC. The tools will serve as valuable learning resources for our students as they study APUs and turbine engines. This contribution will enhance their educational experience and better prepare them for entering the workforce.
Aviation Maintenance: Aerospace Maintenance Competition in Chicago
Congratulations to CCIC's seven Aviation Maintenance students who attended and competed in the 2024 Aerospace Maintenance Competition in Chicago! The competition is scheduled in conjunction with Aviation Week Network's MRO Americas. Teams representing educational institutions, commercial airlines, repair and manufacturing companies, general aviation and space competed to learn from one another and find out who's the best of the best.
Infrastructure Engineering - Tiny Homes
Congratulations to the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus Construction students for their hard work this year on the tiny home project. The months-long project culminated with a community and industry partner celebration. Students and teachers loaded five tiny homes on to trucks and sent them to downtown Denver to the Tiny Home Villages at Colorado Village Collaborative.
Transferring Concurrent or Dual Enrollment Credits
CCIC offers Concurrent Enrollment credits through Arapahoe Community College (ACC), Community College of Denver (CCD) and Pueblo Community College (PCC). Dual enrollment is offered through Metro State University (MSU). Even if your student does not attend one of these institutions after high school, the credits earned could still transfer to another college or university. The links below provide directions on how to request official transcripts from our concurrent and dual enrollment partners.
Requesting Transcripts from ACC
Requesting Transcripts from CCD
Cherry Creek Innovation Campus
Email: sday3@cherrycreekschools.org
Location: 8000 S. Chambers Road
Phone: 720.554.2600