Family and friends of the Springs Studio for Academic Excellence Class of ’23 gathered at the DoubleTree Hotel of Colorado Springs on May 19 to honor this year’s graduates. The class includes 77 graduates, and 63 participated in the milestone ceremony to celebrate the completion of their K-12 educational journey.

Amanda Pethtel, principal, kicked off graduation festivities. “These students have truly embraced our individualized pathway model to pursue their passions for their futures,” Pethtel said. “We have students who have participated in a variety of programs including concurrent enrollment, the Falcon AeroLab, ISSA Hair School, Career Start [a partnership with Pikes Peak State College], the D49 Construction Program and our High Performance Program for high-level athletes.”

Hunter McCormack, graduate, shared remarks about his individual pathway and how the flexibility of SSAE’s blended learning environment served as the best choice for his education. While attending Springs Studio, Hunter had the ability to maintain a job as a ranch hand and operate a leather business.

Accolades are numerous for this year’s graduating class. Five members of the Springs Studio Class of ‘23 completed the requirements for graduation one year early—Kimberly Beatty, Kennedy Escarcega, JB Keyes, Emma O’Rourke and Daniel Leon. Fifteen of the graduates earned 15 or more college credits while in high school, and 23 of the graduates completed their coursework with a GPA of 3.75 or higher.

Congratulations to the Class of ‘23 from Springs Studio for Academic Excellence! For more photos, check out our complete album of photos on Facebook.