Student Life
Students looking to take a break from their studies will find ample opportunities to participate in planned activities on and off the FVS campus. Gather in the Frautschi Campus Center–your FVS mail room and School store headquarters–before or after class to watch a movie, play video games or ping pong, and enjoy snacks from the student-run RK Cafe; let your imagination run wild in the Open Makerspace in the Library; or swim some laps, shoot some hoops, and tackle the rock-climbing wall in FVS’s state-of-the-art Julie and Spencer Penrose Athletic Center.
Adventure Out West
Boarding and Day students alike are also invited to take advantage of FVS’s proximity to multiple Rocky Mountain ski resorts such as Monarch Mountain, the Downtown Colorado Springs area, the Class of ’69 Mountain Campus located nearby Buena Vista, Colo. and the natural hot springs of Mt. Princeton Resort, and other regional destinations, during weekend activities and trips. Buses are also available to transport students to and from local theaters, Asian- and Hispanic-inspired grocery store chains, museums and special exhibits, retail outlets, and more.
Community-Building Activities
UNITY DAY
FVS students annually represent over 20 countries and 20 states. The School’s annual Unity Day celebration consists of a full-day event wherein community members attend student- and faculty-led workshops and activities designed to help them explore the various cultures on campus and deepen their understanding of differences in race, class, and gender.
DANCES
In addition to hosting traditional high school dances like prom and formal, FVS holds other unique dances and socials throughout the year, including:
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Silly Night Out (SNO) - An FVS tradition since 1983, SNO celebrates all things "stupid" and pokes good-natured fun at pop culture, fashion, food, and music. Students dress in outrageous costumes and gather in the Frautschi Campus Center to dance, perform planned lipsyncs and skits, and more.
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Barn Dance - Mosey down to the barn and kick up your heels while dancing to country music, make s’mores by the bonfire, learn to lasso, bob for apples, and chow down on barbeque!
LUNAR NEW YEAR
Fountain Valley rings in each Lunar New Year with a multi-day celebration filled with colorful events and opportunities for our International students to share their customs and traditions with the greater School community via performances, meals, and games.
EARTH DAY
Workshops and hands-on projects accompany Earth Day at FVS, where students and faculty may choose to give back by planting bee gardens and tending to on-campus hives, cleaning up a nearby creek, learning plant-based recipes in the kitchen, building birdhouses for bluebirds on the Prairie, and more.