Innovation & Sustainability

We believe students thrive when they have the chance to tackle real-world problems and come up with real solutions.

Design thinking and innovation are deeply infused into our International Baccalaureate program, and “inquiry-based learning” is not just a buzzword at Mackintosh.

Our environmental and sustainability initiatives provide an example of student learning and problem-solving, with real impact: On a snowy day in May 2015, six seventh grade students at Mackintosh Academy flipped the switch to turn on solar panels on all three campus buildings. The year before, as part of their International Baccalaureate Exhibition project, these same students pressed the send button to submit their application for a $96,000 grant from the State Farm Youth Advisory Board to bring solar power to our school. And they won!

We all won. And the rewards keep coming. Our “solar students” won the President’s Environmental Youth Award in 2016. In 2018, we were named a U. S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School and a Colorado Environmental Leadership Gold Leader Award, in honor of the ongoing environmental and sustainability work that the solar project sparked.

Installing solar panels brought monetary savings and a reduction in carbon footprint to Mack, but, more importantly, it lit the way to a focus on sustainability and innovation. Following our students’ lead and passion, we strive every day to be a wise, compassionate, collaborative, innovative, diverse, and sustainable center for teaching and learning.

I learned I didn’t have to be a grownup to change the world.

~ Mack Alum

Our Innovation and Sustainability Initiatives in the News

Littleton Students Cultivate Green Thumbs with Help from Colorado Garden Foundation, Denver 7 News, February 13, 2025

Students Tackle Sustainability in WorldDenver’s World Affairs Challenge, CBS News Denver, May 10, 2024

Mackintosh Middle Schoolers Advocate for Platte River Health, Littleton Independent, June 5, 2023

Mackintosh Academy is Certified Schoolyard Habitat by National Wildlife Federation, Denver Post YourHub, January 27, 2020.

Mackintosh Academy Snags Environmental Award, Littleton Independent, June 4, 2018.

Colorado Students Tackle Global Problems, Denver Post, March 8, 2018.

Greenhouse Supports Learning at Mackintosh, Littleton Independent, January 16, 2017.

The State of Education in Colorado, 5280 Magazine, November 2016.

In Littleton, Ambitious Students Turn School into “Smart Village,” Colorado Public Radio, June 2, 2016.

Our Environmental Policy provides the foundation for our sustainability initiatives, which have included:

Reducing Environmental Impact and Costs

Student-driven initiatives: Installation of solar panels on all campus buildings, reusable plates for lunch, meetings, and events, terracing erosion control project, gardening and greenhouse
School and family participation: Single stream and glass recycling programs
Solar-powered outdoor fountain
Energy-efficient windows, insulation, solar tubes, venting skylight, motion-activated LED lighting
Parent Council-driven initiative: Water bottle filling station in gym
School supply recycling program
Use of natural cleaning products

Improving Health and Wellness

Minimizing exposure to harmful chemicals and products
Physical education, outside lunch and recess for all students, every day
Movement and mindfulness sessions in middle school
Contract with Children’s Hospital to provide health/safety training and oversight
Relationship with Littleton Police Department to overview safety practices and procedures

Providing Effective Environmental and Sustainability Education

International Baccalaureate curriculum units: How We Share the Planet
Solar inquiry to analyze data from solar panel monitoring system
All-school Conserve Energy days
Active greenhouse and planting projects
Environmental speakers in class and schoolwide assemblies
Green Team of teachers to promote environmental activities and focus
Ongoing community service and environmental action, on and off campus
Annual middle school participation in the World Affairs Challenge

Environmental and Innovation-Related Awards and Recognitions

Colorado Garden Foundation Grant, 2025
Climate Action Project School of Excellence 2021
National Wildlife Federation Certified Schoolyard Habitat 2019
U. S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School Award 2018
Colorado Environmental Leadership Program Gold Leader since 2018, Silver Achiever 2017, Bronze Member 2016
Groove Auto Technology Grant 2017
Colorado Garden Foundation Grant 2017
President’s Environmental Youth Award 2016
Featured in 5280 Magazine and Colorado Public Radio
State Farm Youth Advisory Board Grant 2014 (funding solar panels, making us the first fully solar-powered school in Littleton)

At Mackintosh Academy, the school colors are cherry red and lime, but the students bleed a deep shade of environmental green.

5280 Magazine