What's Your "Why"?
CSI is committed to fostering high-quality charter school options that meet the needs of their communities. Each member of the 20,000+ CSI community of schools has a unique story on why they have chosen a charter school.
Below is a selection of stories from CSI school staff, parents, and students. Each story highlights what charter schools and choice mean to them.
We want to hear your story! What does your charter school mean to you? Submit your story below.
Student Stories
This powerful video highlights four very different CSI schools and how they offer unique educational choices in their communities.
Schools Featured: New Legacy Charter School | Kwiyagat Community Academy | Thomas MacLaren School | The New America School – Aurora
Student Stories
“Thanks to the college opportunities that [CEC] offers…I’m on my way towards achieving that goal.”
William Navarette Moreno
Student, Colorado Early Colleges
Student Stories
“What makes [Mountain Middle School] so special is how free…and how extraordinary it is.”
Students
Mountain Middle School
School Staff Stories
“I love working in an innovative environment…I see these kids thrive and grow every day!”
Mary Bain
Staff, CEC Inverness/Douglas County
Parent/Staff Stories
“It was the perfect fit. The model was exactly what we were looking for…It’s been great!”
Parents/Staff
AXIS International Academy
School Staff Stories
“I love being here. I work with great people and I love bringing kids to their fullest potentional.”
Lorna Floyd
Staff, Academy of Arts & Knowledge

Student Stories
“I love my teachers and all of the faculty. They’re wanting us to get better. They’re wanting us to grow.”
Bella, Addie, & Matthew
Ascent Classical Acdemy
Parent Stories
“It feels like a family…[My daughter] is really thriving as a student and it’s wonderful as a parent to see.”
Parents
Colorado Springs Charter Academy

Parent Stories
“We chose AXIS partially for the cultural experience that he would get to be immersed in every day.”
Chase Pittman
Parent, AXIS International Academy
Student Stories
“My favorite thing about Animas is the student-teacher relationships…my teachers actually care.”
Students
Animas High School
Student Stories
“[Mountain Song is] joyful…It’s unique. It’s a Waldorf school…Artistic…It’s a safe environment.”
8th Grade Students
Mountain Song Community School
Student Stories
“New Legacy gave me the confidence and reassurance of why I needed to believe in myself.”
Bianca
Student, New Legacy Charter School
Parent Stories
“We chose Ross…As a result, our children have a much greater appreciation for knowledge.”
Julie Lindsay
Parent, Ross Montessori School
Parent Stories
“After he started at GVA, I saw something in Michael that I had never seen before, he liked school”
Michael’s Family
Parent, Global Village Academy North
Student Stories
“We have a close relationship with our teachers and our peers and it’s such a small learning community.”
Students
Animas High School
School Staff Stories
“As each year passes I find more and more reasons to believe why our small school is excellent.”
Megan Atherton
Staff, Golden View Classical Academy