September 2024 • Home of the Tigers

Highlights From The Principal

Dear Early College Academy Families,

I am thrilled to welcome you all back for another exciting school year! As your new principal, I am honored to join this incredible community, where we are committed to helping our students achieve their fullest potential. Together we will continue to support our students in their academic journey, providing them with the unique opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school.

If there is ever anything that I can do to support your student's success, please reach out. I look forward to meeting each of you and working together to ensure a successful and enriching year for all our students.

Warm regards,

Bill Fearn, ECA Principal

Student Drop Off and Pick Up

In order to be good neighbors with the businesses around ECA, we kindly ask that you do not drop off or pick up in their parking lots to the east (Action Behavior Centers) and west (PeakView Pointe).

Drop-off and Pick-up traffic flow:

Enter ECA from the 11th street entrance, then proceed around the building to drop off or pick up on the west side of the building.
You will then continue around ECA and exit onto 11th street, making a right-hand turn only.
During pick-up, if you arrive early you can park on the south side or east side of the building.
Please do not park in the spaces on the east side of the building along the median divider where the "Permit Parking Only" signs are. These spaces are owned by and reserved for the use of Action Behavior Centers and their clients.

We sincerely appreciate your continued support. Please reach out to us if you have any additional questions.

Parent Teacher Conferences

September 26 (4:30-7:30)

Please join us on Thursday, September 26th from 4:30 until 7:30 for Parent Teacher Conferences. We are looking forward to seeing you then! Please contact us at (970)348-5800 with any questions.

Welcome To Our New Staff

We wanted to give our ECA Family a brief introduction to the new employees to Early College Academy.

Mr. Bill Fearn

Hello! My name is Bill Fearn, and I'm excited to be the new principal at Early College Academy. Early College Academy has always held a special place in my regard. As an educator, one of my core beliefs is that education creates opportunities, and I am so excited to be at a school that allows students to graduate with an Associate's degree along with their diploma.

I hold a Juris Doctorate in Constitutional Law from Rutgers University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Colorado State University. I've had the privilidge of serving as the Curriculum Coordinator for Secondary Education here at Greeley-Evans District 6, and prior to that served as an Assistant Principal at Bella Romero Academy and Brentwood Middle School. I have also served as a Science and Social Studies teacher here in District 6 for many years. I grew up just outside of Philadelphia in New Jersey, and root for our Denver sports teams as well as the Phillies, Eagles, '76ers and Flyers. Prior to moving to Colorado I lived and worked on the Pine Ridge Reservation from 1997 to 2012 serving the Oglala Lakota oyate/community as a Science and Social Studies teacher and also as an Adjunct Professor at Oglala Lakota College in South Dakota.

I love spending time with my family, and we enjoy hiking, swimming, kayaking, cooking, reading, and exploring bookstores together.

Dr. Trish Escobar

Hola! My name is Trish Escobar, I am the Spanish III instructor this semester and this is my first year teaching High School students and new to ECA. My passion is working with young minds and imparting knowledge and my love of learning. I hope all ECA students leave being perfectly bilingual and biliterate. My parents are from Chihuahua, Mexico where I was born but have lived in the US for most of my life. I have 15 years of teaching experience and teach both Spanish and some Ethnic Studies courses. I also work at the Cesar Chavez Cultural Center at UNC. I have two lovely children and together we have a passion for traveling and eating food from around the world. In my free time, I love to walk and hike our beautiful mountain trails in Estes Park and Boulder canyon.

Ms. Christina Flores

My name is Christina Flores and I will be serving as the CLD teacher at Early College Academy. I graduated with my Masters Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. For the past 5 years in this role, I have been an advocate for our multilingual learners by recognizing and celebrating the strengths they bring to the classroom. I enjoy building one-on-one relationships and providing customized support to help them succeed. I have worked with elementary school, middle school, and adults in my career path. This is my first year working with high school students and I'm very excited to start this new adventure!

I'm originally from Florida where I spent the majority of my life. I moved to Colorado 10 years ago to be closer to my family. I am a mom to a dog and a cat. I enjoy spending time outdoors. I love skiing, paddleboarding, biking, and traveling to new places. Other than being outdoors, I enjoy cooking/baking, arts/crafts, reading, and dancing. I am a first-generation college student but I would have not been if it wasn't for a teacher who believed in me, which allowed me to believe in myself. Therefore, as a teacher, my purpose is to show my students their opportunities are endless when they believe! Anything is possible!

Mr. Patrick Aniniba

Mr. Aniniba has taught business and economic courses for over 20 years at secondary and post-seconday institutions. Patrick graduated from the University of Colorado, Denver with a Masters Degree in Economics. Mr. Aniniba attended and led business delegations, investments and project promotions of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Mr. Aniniba strongly believes that "when you observe something (injustices), fact fully say and do something because when changes occur, our nation gets better.

Mx. Amelia Hammerle

Hello! My name is Amelia Hammerle and I am the Instructional Support Specialist here at ECA. I will be working with students to build academic (and life) skills that will help them be successful at ECA and beyond. I grew up in Virginia and Texas before moving to Colorado 4 years ago. I am a recent graduate of Colorado State University, where I studied Human Development and played collegiate soccer for 2 years. I currently reside in Fort Collins with my partner. In our spare time we enjoy anything outdoors including hiking, bird watching, trail running, and biking. I also enjoy cooking and pencil sketching. I am really grateful for the opportunity to work with students at ECA!

Access to Aims

Early College Academy students are also Aims students, which means they have access to Aims' Physical Education and Recreation Center (PERC). The PERC offers recreation hours, intramural sports, and activity classes.

Students who wish to utilize the PERC during the 2024-2025 academic year must have a completed
"Minor Waiver of Liability on File".

Parents/Guardians, if you have not done so already, please complete the waiver on behalf of your student.

Questions? Contact the PERC at 970.339.6295 or physical.education@aims.edu

Seniors Corner

Colorado Free Application Day$

October 15-17, 2024

Colorado's seventh annual Free Applications Day$ will be held on October 15 - 17, 2024 for Colorado residents! If students submit their application any time those days, they are applying for FREE! Colorado Free Application Day was created to encourage Colorado’s best and brightest students to further their education in the state of Colorado. By removing barriers for students to achieve a credential, Colorado can increase the number of students who complete their programs and enter the workforce with a degree or competitive skills.

The Student Support Center at ECA will be open all three days for students to come in and work on their applications! Students should begin the application process before Free Application Day$, so that come October 15-17, students can simply submit their application. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Dominguez at Kellyn.Dominguez@aims.edu or refer to the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

Get Ahead: Create Your FSA ID Now

Parents and students, it's never too early to start preparing for financial aid. One of the first steps is creating an FSA ID—a username and password that will allow you to sign your FAFSA electronically. Both the student and the parent will need an FSA ID. Having your FSA IDs ready will save time when the FAFSA opens on December 1. Get ahead of the game by setting yours up today! We will be hosting an FSA ID workshop on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, from 4:30-7:30 PM at ECA.

Financial Aid

Senior year is an exciting time as you plan your next steps beyond graduation. As you consider college options and costs, it’s critical to plan ahead. The first step is completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA determines your eligibility for various types of aid, including federal, state, and school-based aid, as well as grants and scholarships. All colleges and universities use the FAFSA to create your financial aid package.

The 2025-26 FAFSA application is set to open on December 1!

Visit the FAFSA website for more information.

Scholarships

College is expensive, but scholarships can help cover costs—and they don’t need to be repaid. Scholarships are awarded by various sources including schools, businesses, non-profits, religious organizations, and the government. Each scholarship has its own deadline, criteria, and application process. Seniors can stay informed by checking our Senior Scholarship List.

Greeley Evans Transit

Many of our students riding the City Bus. Greeley Evans Transit has a special message for our students and families. For additional information, bus routes, bus tracker, and much more, visit greeleyevanstransit.com

D-6 Transportation options

Greeley-Evans District 6 can provide transportation for students who are in the Greeley-Evans area. Bus stops correspond with all stops on the Tointon route. In order to access this service, all students must be registered to ride a bus. To register your student, to make sure your student is registered, or for additional information on this service, please call 970-348-6820.

On October 23rd, all Juniors will take the official PSAT/NMSQT. If students receive high enough marks on the PSAT/NMSQT, it can help them land a National Merit Scholarship which can mean big money for college. All Freshmen and sophomores will be taking a practice PSAT test that day. This is great practice for our students when it comes to Spring testing. Seniors will have the opportunity to go to the University of Northern Colorado for additional College and Career exploration. As we get closer more information will be shared.

ECA First Generation National Recognition Awardees

We’re celebrating Devonie Cruz and Mackenzie Franks, two of more than 90,000 students from across the country who earned academic honors from College Board’s National Recognition Program! They received an award from the First Generation. The National Recognition Programs honor the strong academic achievements of underrepresented students and are a great way for students to showcase their hard work in high school.

The programs not only benefit students, but they also help nonprofit colleges and scholarship providers looking to recruit talented students.

There’s so much that makes students like Devonie and Mackenzie unique and should be an asset to colleges and postsecondary programs. Through the National Recognition Programs, students like them can verify their eligibility every year on BigFuture®: GPA of B+ (equal to at least 3.3 or 87%-89%) or higher; top 10% of PSAT/NMSQT® or PSAT™ 10 assessment takers in each state for each program or have earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP® Exams by the end of 10th grade; attend school in a rural area or small town, or identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous/Native American, or a first-generation college student.

Students can submit during their sophomore or junior year and are awarded at the beginning of the next school year.

Congratulations, Devonie and Mackenzie!