LONGMONT

Longs Peak Middle School to host signing ceremony

Longs Peak Middle School is hosting a special signing ceremony to celebrate the more than 40 eighth grade students who have been accepted into high school focus programs.

Modeled after high school athletic signing events, the all-school assembly will take place from 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Wednesday to recognize students’ hard work and dedication in preparing for advanced academic pathways. The assembly will feature performances by the schools’ mariachi and percussion groups, as well as by cheerleaders. Principals from each high school will be in attendance to welcome their incoming students.

Longs Peak students have been accepted into specialized programs at three area high schools, including the Medical and Bioscience Academy, TrojanTECH and the High School of Business at Longmont High School; FalconTECH at Skyline High School; and the Leadership Academy at Silver Creek High School.

BOULDER

Former astronaut to speak at CU

Leland Melvin, a former NFL player turned NASA astronaut, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St. Before his career as an astronaut took off, Melvin was drafted into the NFL by the Detroit Lions but sustained an injury. He changed career paths and joined NASA as an astronaut, where he logged 565 hours in space and helped construct the International Space Station.

After his space missions, he served as the co-chair of the White House’s Federal Coordination in STEM Education Task Force and as the NASA associate administrator for education. Tickets for Melvin’s talk are $15 for the general public. To buy tickets, visit colorado.edu/today/2025/03/13/leland-melvin-share-story-cu-boulder-april-3.

COLORADO

Mothers Against Drunk Driving partners with Uber

The ride-sharing company Uber will donate up to $25,000 in April to match donations that residents make to the nonprofit group Mothers Against Drunk Driving to celebrate alcohol awareness month, according to a press release.

Colorado had 46 more alcohol impaired driving fatalities in 2022 than in 2021, a 21% increase, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That made Colorado the second-highest state of 24 states to see an increase in fatalities. The other 26 states saw the same number or a drop in fatalities in 2022, the most recent period for which statistics are available, according to the press release.

Representatives at Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Uber urge residents to plan ahead when consuming alcohol, call 911 if they suspect drunk driving and to use ride services, the release said.

— Staff reports