Electives

The Adams 12 Five Star Schools Elementary Visual Art Show is held annually to celebrate the incredible, creative abilities of students throughout the district. Featuring student work from every elementary school, this event showcases our students' abilities to create, problem-solve, persevere, and engage in multiple modalities of expression. Hosted at Front Range Community College, this exhibition provides an opportunity to engage with the community in order to promote the importance of artistic growth and expression as part of the development of the whole child.

The Elementary District Art Show will be on display from April 8th, 2026 through April 27th, 2026 at the Front Range Community College Library (3645 W 112th Ave Westminster, CO 80031). 

 

The Adams 12 Five Star Schools District Visual Arts Show is held annually to celebrate the incredible, creative abilities of students throughout the district. Featuring student work from every Middle School, K-8 School (grades 6-8 only), and High School, this event showcases our students' abilities to create, problem-solve, persevere, and engage in multiple modalities of expression. Currently hosted at Front Range Community College, this exhibition provides an opportunity to engage with the community in order to promote the importance of artistic growth and expression as part of the development of the whole child.

The Secondary (Middle School, K-8, High School) District Art Show will be on display from Tuesday, March 10th, 2026 through Sunday, April 5th, 2026 at the Front Range Community College Library (3645 W 112th Ave Westminster, CO 80031).

The Adams 12 High School Juried Art Show is a year-long exhibition, from February to February each year, which is on display to the public at "Main Street" (the main hallway after entering the main check-in area) in the Educational Support Center (ESC) at 1500 E. 128th Avenue, Thornton, CO 80241.  In order to view the art show during normal business hours (7:30 AM - 5:00 PM), you will need to check-in at the main desk with an ID.  Teachers nominate student artwork which is then judged and selected for inclusion in the show by an independent, professional artist.  Each High School is represented in the show by a minimum of two amazing works of art.

This year's Art Show Opening and Awards Ceremony will be held at the ESC on Tuesday, February 24th, 2026 from 5:00 to 6:30 PM.  1st through 3rd Place Awards, as well as Honorable Mention Awards, will be presented to students beginning at 5:30 PM.  Come see the exceptional skill, understanding, creativity and design in 2D and 3D media from Adams 12's most talented artists!!!

 

 

 

 

The Adams 12 Five Star Schools District Honor Band Festival Concert will be held in the Horizon High School Auditorium (5321 E 136th Ave, Thornton, CO 80602) on Saturday, January 10th, 2026 at 3:00.

The District Honor Band Festival showcases the highest musicianship and achievement from each participating school’s program. Participation is by invitation from each student’s individual school’s band director.

The Adams 12 5th Grade Honor Choir is an event that invites all elementary music teachers to bring their most dedicated 5th grade music students together to perform a collaborative concert. Each year a guest clinician from outside of the district is chosen to direct the choir. Students learn the music with their own teachers and then fine tune the music with the clinician.

This concert is traditionally held in May each year and anywhere from 150-200 students participate in this collective event. It is truly a celebration of music and the electives programming in Adams 12! 

This year's concert will be held on Monday, May 4th, 2026 at 6:00 PM in the Horizon High School Auditorium (5321 E 136th Ave, Thornton, CO 80602).

The Adams 12 Five Star Schools Orchestra Festival Concert will be held in the Horizon High School Auditorium (5321 E 136th Ave, Thornton, CO 80602) on Saturday, November 15th, 2025 at 1:00 PM. Spectators should park in the parking lot behind the school and can enter into the Auditorium through the West doors.

The District Orchestra Festival is a showcase of the incredible string orchestra programs of Adams 12 Five Star Schools. Participation is by invitation from each student’s individual school’s orchestra director.

Additional information can be found below:

High School Information Letter (Coming Soon)

Middle School Information Letter (Coming Soon)

The Adams 12 Five Star Schools Choir Festival Concert was held in the Horizon High School Auditorium (5321 E 136th Ave, Thornton, CO 80602) on Saturday, November 8th, 2025 at 3:00 PM.  Spectators should park in the parking lot behind the school and can enter into the Auditorium through the West doors.  

The District Choir Festival is a showcase of the incredible choral programs of Adams 12 Five Star Schools. Participation is by invitation for middle school choir students and the festival also features a choir from each of the high schools.

All Honor Choir and High School Choirs:

 

Middle School Honor Choir:

 

Northglenn High School Choir:

 

Thornton High School:

 

Horizon High School:

 

Legacy High School:

Adams 12 Five Star Schools sponsored Elementary Cross Country Race will be held at the Margaret W. Carpenter Park Fields located at 11151 Colorado Blvd, Thornton, CO 80233 on Monday, September 29th, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM. 

Click to view schedule and more information.

Race Course:

Join us for our annual Five Star 5k.

Click to find up-to-date information

Hour of Code activities and events are hosted at schools across Adams 12 Five Star Schools during Computer Science Education week in early December.

The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify "code", to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a global learning, celebration, and awareness event with hundreds of 1-hour coding activities to choose from (available in over 48 languages). Computer science is changing every industry on the planet, and every 21st-century student should have the opportunity to learn how to create technology. 

We encourage you to watch the video below to learn more and talk to your student’s teacher or principal to discover what activities are planned at your school. You can also visit the Hour of Code website for activities to do with your child at home!

 

Click to learn more

Way back in the spring of 1984, the City of Thornton teamed up with the Thornton Lions Club to offer a series of relay races for boys and girls from local elementary schools. These races would include 4 x 100 meter relays and also a special Mayor’s Mile (4x 400)  race at the end of the event.  We also offered a new division in 2017, the “Star Strutters Unified Race” and had 17 athletes from five schools compete in two heats.  The race order has changed over the years and the event has been cancelled some years due to weather and Covid, but the event has since grown to include as many as 22 Elementary and K8 schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools. Lions Club Relays are typically held the first Sunday in May at Five Star Stadium (9360 Washington Street).  This event is also a fundraiser for the Thornton Lions Club Vision Programs which provide eyeglasses, exams, guide dogs and other vision services to those in the local community who are in need. 

Each of the High Schools within Adams 12 Five Star Schools will have several performances throughout the school year.  Please navigate to each of the school's websites listed below or email the contact for dates and times of those performances. 

Horizon High School

Click to purchase tickets

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Legacy High School

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Mountain Range High School

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Northglenn High School

Website: https://sites.google.com/adams12.org/nhs-drama/home  or https://northglennh.adams12.org/academics/theater

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Thornton High School

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Silver Hills Middle School

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The Studio School

Applications must be turned in by the second week of January (Senior Year).

Find more information.