Adams 12 Five Star Schools broke ground Monday on a 36,000-square-foot expansion of FutureForward at Bollman in Thornton, adding classroom space, a public-facing salon and an outdoor CTE yard to one of the district’s two career and technical education campuses. The project is being funded through a voter-approved 2024 bond and is expected to welcome students by fall 2028.
The groundbreaking ceremony, detailed in an announcement from Adams 12 Five Star Schools, featured remarks from Bollman Principal Janet Renden, Superintendent Chris Gdowski, Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann and Bollman graduate Liliana Friedenson. According to Denver7, the district is investing nearly $40 million in the expanded career and technical education space, which serves high school students from across Adams 12. The two-story addition will include new and expanded learning spaces for esthetics, barbering, dental assisting, video editing, auto body repair and culinary arts, the district said, along with dedicated space for cosmetology.
A Public Salon and Outdoor Learning Yard
The project will add a public-facing salon where students can practice serving community members, along with a CTE yard for hands-on and outdoor learning. Renden told Denver7 that demand for Adams 12 career and technical education programs has produced growing waitlists. She said FutureForward at Bollman has grown from about 300 students nearly two decades ago to roughly 1,300 students today, and the expansion is expected to accommodate about 500 additional students by fall 2028.
Renden told Denver7 that students are increasingly seeking hands-on learning and considering the financial and time commitments associated with a four-year college degree.
Students Say the Programs Change Their Trajectory
Alexander Ortiz, a Thornton High School senior enrolled in a culinary class at FutureForward at Bollman, told Denver7 that the program opened his eyes to options beyond the traditional college track. He said the appeal is being able to specialize in something students actually want and are passionate about…