With all the events that happened in the year so far–such as projects, escape rooms, and spirit week–a returning 10th grader was interviewed by a fellow student about their experiences at CCPA.

According to the student, “The school year has been going good, the best part so far is the project.” The project the students are currently working on is an escape room, where each group has a specific topic and must create puzzles and a theme for the escape room that incorporates that topic. “The escape rooms are a very creative and fun project,” said the student. “I like the topics connecting to the escape rooms, and how the puzzles connect to the topics in each class.”

For Spirit Week, where students could come to school dressed in themes based on the day, for example, on “Everything but a Backpack” day, students came to school carrying their school supplies in items like bags, stuffed bears, etc. The student said, “Spirit Week was fun because we got to be goofy and creative every day at school. My favorite part was anything but a backpack day.” During this day, this student brought a tray and an apron.

For the rest of the year, this student is looking forward to “Sharing escape rooms with others and finding out what next semester’s project is going to be.”

Welcome to a new month of events, students! As you might know already, the student field trip for Trades Day was on October 2nd. They learned about hands-on jobs and management from professionals. 

The week after that was Spirit Week–from October 6th to October 9th. Each day was separately themed for on-campus students to engage in school spirit. They came wearing crazy hats, dressed as dinosaurs, or other fun outfits, depending on the day’s theme. 

The following Thursday was a CCPA special event–Game Night! On October 16th, students gathered on campus from 5pm-7pm to play games such as Boom UNO, The Pact, and more! Snacks and games were provided. Lastly, a dance every student will remember: the Fall Ball. On October 24th, students from both the homeschool program and the in-person program joined together to dance to their delight! Refreshments, music by an amazing DJ, and a photobooth were provided from 6pm-9pm. 

On October 2nd, CCPA students attended Trades Day at Cal Expo. A student summarized their experience to share with our community!

10th Grade Student: Trades Day features numerous booths showcasing their companies and services, primarily in construction, electrical work, management, and other related fields. Some booths had activities surrounding their topic. For example, a booth with an electrician company had you bend conduit, which is used to cover wires. Another example is a glass company, which explained all about glazing for big buildings like the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Sofi stadium. Most booths offered information about the occupation, with goodies like pens, stress balls, candy, stickers, and more. It was a great opportunity to explore possible career choices. Students from all over Northern California travelled to be part of this experience. Cal Expo has Trades Day to offer students options for their future. Students learn skills while getting a hands-on experience. Learning a trade can benefit students in their long-term careers. If you’re looking at a different career, definitely check out Trades Day!

CCPA is hosting “Game Night”, October 16 from 5-7pm. Get in the spirit of friendly competition with board games, snacks, and fun!

Students will have a wonderful time at the Fall Ball semi-formal dance, October 24th from 6:00pm-9:00pm. The dance will include refreshments, DJ Eric Parish, dancing, and a photo booth. High School students won’t want to miss this opportunity to create lasting memories!

High School students may bring a guest, provided a Guest Pass has been submitted and approved.

Our 9th and 10th graders absolutely crushed it at their

This kind of night is exactly what CCPA is all about — interdisciplinary, student-driven projects that bring real-world issues into the classroom and beyond! From science and English to history and design, students wove together knowledge from multiple classes to create something meaningful and relevant. It’s one thing to learn about climate change in a textbook. It’s another to research it, build a message, and present that message to your community. These are the moments when education feels alive, and our students get to see the power of their own voices. Do you know a high school-age student interested in project-based learning? Discover what’s next and reach out to us at (530) 285-2003 or email isabella.brenneman@cottonwoodk12.org to learn how to join us for the 2025 – 2026 school year!

As a college prep academy, building a college-going culture is at the heart of everything we do. Trips like this are a key part of how we support students in dreaming big and planning ahead. Whether it’s their first time visiting a college campus or one of many, we want our students to see higher education as an achievable, exciting step in their journey. Do you know a high schooler who would thrive in a forward-thinking, student-centered enviroment? Enrollment for the 2025 – 2026 school year is open! For more information, call us at (530) 285-2003 or email isabella.brenneman@cottonwoodk12.org.

What an amazing presentation done by Jojo from Conservation Ambassadors’ Wild Things for our lucky students. They were beyond excited to see all these fun and unique animals up close – especially the friendly capybara, the wiggly lizard, and the tiniest little owl with the biggest personality. Jojo shared incredible stories about each animal’s journey and how they came to be ambassadors for wildlife education. Students were all eyes and ears, snapping photos, asking thoughtful questions, and clearly loving every second of the experience. There’s something magical about seeing animals in real life that makes the science click, and this presentation definitely brought the wild to life!

Even better, this visit lined up perfectly with the 9th and 10th grade climate projects currently underway. As students dive into the ways humans impact ecosystems and climate, getting to meet real animals affected by these issues gives them a deeper, more personal understanding. At CCPA, we love making connections between our projects and the real world—it keeps learning meaningful, memorable, and engaging. Enrollment for the 2025–2026 school year is now open—don’t miss your chance to be part of it all! For more information, call us at (530) 285-2003 or email isabella.brenneman@cottonwoodk12.org.