ThunderRidge Weekly Update

Happy Friday, everyone!

It’s been a busy week at ThunderRidge. As we move toward the Spring Season, I am getting to have my first experiences with some of the IB CAS (Community Action and Service) projects and some of our Senior Projects as well. The pics here are from a Senior Project blood drive this past Saturday and from a VA CAS project last night. It’s so fascinating to see the topics our students gravitate toward.

This week kicked off Grizzly Gives week (well, week and then some) at TRHS. We had our kickoff assembly on Thursday and look forward to all the special events and activities that will be a part of raising money and gathering donations for the Ontiveros family. You can read more about the family here. Trust us, there will be no need for you to make dinner any night next week if you want to donate by also feeding your family at our community nights out. Get full spirit day and community night details below.

Also, at the assembly on Thursday, we learned that ThunderRidge has once again been named a Special Olympics Unified Champion School! This is a prestigious designation for schools meeting 10 national standards of excellence in inclusion. We are grateful to all the staff, students, and parents who contribute to making TRHS a great place to learn for all our students.

Speaking of awards, TRHS Business and Marketing teacher, Gen Bennett was honored during this week’s DECA State Competition at the Broadmoor with the award for Colorado DECA Advisor of the year. If you know Gen, please send her a note of congratulations! Also, congratulations to the seven ThunderRidge students who qualified for DECA Internationals in April and to the six alternates who placed in the top 12-14 in the state.

We hope to see you at some of our events next week as we do our best to ensure the Ontiveros family has all the support they could ever dream of due to the proud Grizzlies at ThunderRidge!

Enjoy your respective weekends,

Liz

March 2-6 - Grizzly Gives Week
March 9-10 - Orchestra Concert - Auditorium - 7:00pm
March 10 - Band Concert - Auditorium - 7:00pm
March 10 - Grizzly Gives Assembly
March 11 - Choir Concert - Auditorium - 7:00pm
March 12 - Choir Concert - Auditorium - 7:00pm
March 13 - End of 3rd Quarter
March 16-20 - Spring Break 🏖️
April 2-4 & 9-11 - Spring Musical: Mama Mia
April 10 - Senior Boards
April 10 - 15 - Spring Testing
April 15 - IB Art & Film CreateFest
April 20-22 - CMAS/SAT/PSAT Make-Ups
April 24 - PD Day - No students

April 24 - Prom - Chatfield Farms - 8:30-11:00pm

Monday - Blue Day

Tuesday - Green Day

Wednesday - Blue Day

Thursday - Green Day

Friday - ALL Day with PLC

Classes begin at 8:25am on PLC days. If your student needs to arrive at school prior to that time, they may go to the Library or Commons until class begins. Breakfast will be available in the Commons.

As we kick off Grizzly Gives Week, our biggest priority is helping the Ontiveros family as much as possible! We want them to feel loved and cherished by the ThunderRidge community through this hard season of life. On top of raising money through weekly events, we encourage you to donate through our online fundraising link. Many teachers are offering extra incentives, like note cards on tests, for students who reach certain donation goals, so be sure to ask your teachers if they’re participating! All of the funds go directly to the Caruso Family Charities to help the Ontiveros family.

Donation Link

We are so excited to get to be paired with the Ontiveros family! They have just moved to Colorado from New Mexico to get the proper health care for their daughter, Makayla. Makayla is 18 months old and has been diagnosed with Vacterl Association. Vacterl Association is a group of birth defects tending to occur together, affecting different parts of the body like the spine, heart and limbs. The name stands for Vertebral, Anal, Cardiac, Tracheoesophageal, Renal, and Limb anomalies. The family has 2 sons, Bryan, who is 13 years old and Abraham, who is 9 years old. The boys are honors students and love sports. The father was a contractor in New Mexico, but is now looking for work after the move. The Ontiveros do not know anyone in Colorado and are greatly in need of our help! Your generosity is greatly appreciated! If you have any questions, please email our Student Government sponsor, tmsullivan@dcsdk12.org.

Donate here!

More information can be found on our TRHS website and social media pages.

If you are a current sophomore or junior and want to help welcome the Class of 2030 to ThunderRidge High School in August, apply to be a Link Crew Leader!

What is a Link Crew Leader?

Link Crew Leaders are:

• Leaders of TRHS
• Students from the junior and senior class
• Students who want to make a difference at ThunderRidge High School

Link Crew Leaders are trained to:

• Welcome incoming freshmen by creating a positive environment
• Facilitate small groups in Seminar on Orientation Day in August
• Be positive leaders and role models in all situations

Applications are due Friday, March 13th.

If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Sullivan in E209 or Mrs. Lynch in E111.

The following students have qualified for DECA International Competition in April to be held in Atlanta this year:

Business Operations Research:

Reese Kelly and Lucy Koenig

Sophie Cleland, Ella McCormick and Charlotte Dunford

Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making

Sophie Horner and Charlotte Dunford

The following students are alternates and may get called up and placed in the top 12-14 teams in Colorado:

Marketing Management Team Decision Making

Ryder Jay and Koleton Pfaff

Sports and Entertainment Team Decision Making

Jane Wagner and Sydney Ellis

Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making

Sophie Cleland and Ella McCormick

Thank you to the amazing chaperone team of Olivia Holland, Jenny Brant, Jason Mercado, Dillon Mathews, Cory Sicard and Sean Patterson.

Marshawn Yuhas and Amie McCarty were amazing judges! Thank you for your time and help!

Congratulations to our very own Gen Bennett, who was named Colorado DECA Advisor of the Year! We are so grateful for all that you do!

Moolit Masquerade - Chatfield Farms

8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton, CO 80128

8:30-11:00pm

After-Prom - Sporty Pickle

8640 S. Peoria St. Unit 100, Englewood, CO 80112

11:30pm

Seniors - scan the QR codes below to sign up for your opportunity to audition to speak or perform at graduation. Sign up closes on March 12th.

Speaker auditions will take place at 3:00pm on March 25th, and performer auditions will be held at 3:00pm on March 26th.

Seniors - Be sure to complete your 20 hours of community service before April 1st. If you hope to letter in Community Service, all hours must also be submitted by April 1st. Submit your hours using Helper Helper.

The deadline to order your seniors' cap and gown is May 1st, but any orders placed after April 1st will incur an extra shipping fee. Order online at urherffjones.com. For detailed ordering instructions, click here.

Please see the CDPHE report regarding student vaccines here.

This past week in the Counseling office, TRHS Counselors saw 234 students for academic planning and support, social emotional support and post secondary planning. Counselors will be hosting junior meetings this month, to discuss post secondary plans and preparation for senior year - be on the lookout for more information!

Become a TRHS Peer Counselor!

Applications for Peer Counselors for the 26-27 school year are now open to all sophomores (class of 2028).

Peer Counseling is a unique program at TRHS where students are trained, through a Peer Counseling class for which they receive graduation credit, to help other students with various academic, personal, and social issues. Students who serve as Peer Counselors have the opportunity to make an incredibly positive impact on their school, while gaining valuable life skills.

Click here to visit the Peer Counseling website for all the information and application. Applications are due by Monday, March 2nd at 3:00 pm.

ThunderRidge High School – March Career Exploration Series 🌟

Join us during Grizz Hour (10:25–10:55) in the Post Grad Room (Library) for three exciting career speakers this month!

March 3 – Military (David Pfromm, U.S. Marines – NROTC Scholarship)

Learn about the NROTC scholarship opportunity, which can provide up to $180,000 in tuition assistance, along with potential support for room, board, books, and leadership development. This session is especially valuable for juniors interested in exploring military-affiliated college pathways — with no obligation to accept the scholarship if selected.

March 24 – Marketing (Molly Busch – UCSF Health Marketing & Communications)

Discover how digital marketing connects patients with healthcare services at UCSF Health. Students will learn about careers in marketing, communications, and technology, including managing online campaigns, improving search tools, and launching digital platforms used by thousands of employees.

Click here to sign up!

Seniors - the deadline to complete community service hours for graduation is April 1! If your student needs hours, check out the TRHS Counseling newsletter, or the Helper Helper app for community service opportunities.

Mindful Minute - Spring excitement, and overwhelm

Spring can bring a myriad of changes for students, including academic fatigue, testing pressure, college decisions, senior transition stress, comparison and social pressure, extracurricular overload, burnout relationship changes, sleep disruption, and seasonal mood shifts. Mindfulness helps students manage stress by increasing awareness of thoughts and emotions without becoming overwhelmed. It supports emotional regulation, improves focus, reduces burnout, and strengthens resilience. By staying present, students can navigate testing pressure, transitions, social comparison, and fatigue with greater clarity, balance, and intentional decision-making. Remember, all it takes is a pause, 3 breaths, and notice what’s around you. Putting the phone down for a minute helps too ;)

For all things Counseling, including scholarships and community service opportunities, check out the full TRHS Counseling newsletter!

We are excited to share that our IB Diploma Programme students will soon participate in the Group 4 Collaborative Science Project, hosted at the beautiful Highlands Ranch Backcountry Wilderness Area.

What is the Group 4 Project?

The Group 4 Project is a hallmark of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme science experience. It brings together students from Biology, Sports Exercise and Health Science, and Environmental Systems & Societies to collaborate on a shared scientific investigation. Rather than working within their individual disciplines, students engage in interdisciplinary problem-solving, applying diverse scientific perspectives to a common research question.

This experience emphasizes:

• Collaboration over competition

• Inquiry-based investigation

• Real-world application of scientific concepts

• Communication and reflection

Why the Backcountry?

The Highlands Ranch Backcountry Wilderness Area provides an authentic outdoor "laboratory" where students can conduct meaningful field research. Surrounded by native ecosystems, students will gather data, analyze environmental systems, and explore scientific questions connected to sustainability, ecology, and human impact.

We are proud to offer learning opportunities that extend beyond the classroom walls and reflect the spirit of the IB: curiosity, collaboration, and global-minded inquiry. The Group 4 Project is always a highlight of the year, and we look forward to seeing our students engage deeply with science in this unique setting.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s IB science teacher.

Mr. Ameen described how students can motivate themselves to focus on their “have-to-dos.” Students reflected on their biggest distractions and how to minimize their effects - Mr. Cohen

Students reviewed the reflection portion of the grading criteria and were given work time to complete their written reports. First drafts are due March 3rd. - Mr. Carroll

- Mr. Bidinger

Students created their Senior Posters for their Senior Projects. Senior Posters are due March 3rd in Seminar. - Ms. Vande Vusse

Modern Market Eatery

Saturday, March 7, 2026 - All Day

537 W. Highlands Ranch Pkwy, Suite 108

Enter the coupon code GIVEBACK upon ordering online through the Modern Market mobile app or website or in Modern Market on March 7th. By applying this code, Modern Market will contribute 25% of your order to support the ThunderRIdge High School Girls Tennis team.

TR Poms is excited to announce our 5th Annual Egg My Yard Fundraiser and we would love your support in helping us make this our biggest year yet!

Our athletes will “egg” yards the night before Easter, filling them with treat-filled eggs for families in our community. It’s a fun way to celebrate while supporting hardworking student-athletes.

All funds raised go directly toward next season’s expenses, including training, travel, competitions, and team development.

If you are interested in participating, please see the attached flyer for details. You can sign up using this link or scan the QR code on the flyer attached.

Eggs will be hidden on April 4, 8:00-10:00pm

$25 for 25 eggs

$50 for 50 eggs

$75 for 75 eggs

Eldorado Elementary

• Eldorado Elementary is in need of 16 outgoing, energetic high school volunteers for our annual Family Dance at Eldorado Elementary on Friday, February 27. Volunteers arrive by 5:30pm and leave by 8:30pm. Volunteers will help with various activities (set up/clean up, games, greeting families, Panther costume) and other help as needed.

  Family Dance Volunteer Sign Up: https://bit.ly/eefamilydance

• Eldorado Elementary is looking for student volunteers to help us with childcare during each PTO/SAC meeting for the 2025-2026 school year. We need 2 volunteers per meeting. Please sign up here for the slots that you are available to help!

Trailblazer Elementary

• We are looking for 2 volunteers to help us with childcare during each PTO meeting for the 2025 - 2026 school year at Trailblazer Elementary. Meetings run from 4:00 - 5:00pm. We are asking that volunteers arrive 10-15 minutes early (3:45pm) to get set up. Please sign up here for the slots that you are available to help!

Please bring any volunteer forms needing to be completed and we will get those filled out at the end of the night. Please email Samantha Marino at trailblazerptosecretary@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you!

Join ThunderRidge High School's Youth Theater Camp

Monday, June 22rd - Friday, June 26th

9:00am - 4:00pm with a show on the evening of the 26th.

There will be an audition prior, more details coming soon.

Deadline to register is Friday April 24th. Scan the QR code or click here.

Looking for fun, engaging, unplugged summer activities for your child this summer? Consider Stone Canyon's Summer Camp programs! Join us for a summer of fun, adventure, and friendship. Find registration links and more information here: https://www.stonecanyonedge.org/summercamp.

Located in Larkspur, we offer week-long Overnight Camps for 9-15-year-old campers and 3-day Day Camps (including transportation to/from camp out of Castle Rock) for 6-9-year-old campers.

ThunderRidge is proud to offer a wide variety of clubs and activities! Click the bar above for a full list including meeting times, days and locations.

Principal: Liz Walhof

Mission Statement:

Empowering Grizzlies through curiosity, compassion, courage, community and service.

trhs.dcsdk12.org

1991 West Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
303.387.2000

Facebook: ThunderRidge High School
X (formerly Twitter): @TRidgeGrizzlies