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Back to Class Bash

A season of volunteering, connecting with our community and fun!

Save the Date!

Join DPS Foundation to kick off the 2026–2027 school year! We’re excited to invite you to Back to Class Bash Season, with Service Days on Friday, August 7, and Friday, August 14. The DPS 5K, a Fun Run with DPS Foundation, will take place on Saturday, October 3, at Berkeley Lake Park. These events are all about supporting our school communities and having fun in the process!

Service Days

  • Friday, August 7, 2026, at Barney Ford Elementary School and Munroe Elementary School
  • Friday, August 14, 2026, at McMeen Elementary School and Valverde Elementary School.
Runners take off from the start line at the Back to School 5K Fun Run, wearing bright orange shirts and smiles.

5K Fun Run

The Back to Class Bash 5K Fun Run will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Berkeley Lake Park.

Runners, walkers, and community members are invited to come together for a morning of movement, wellness, and fun in support of Denver Public Schools students and educator wellness.

Thank You, 2026 Sponsors

Chevron logo
Kaiser Permanente logo
Coco Cola Swire logo

Trailblazer Sponsor

Fidelity Investments logo

Trailblazer Sponsor

Suncor logo

School Spirit Sponsor

Adolfson & Peterson Construction logo

School Spirit Sponsor

Janus Henderson logo

School Spirit Sponsor

Long (Long Live Your Building) Logo

School Spirit Sponsor

CU Denver logo

School Spirit Sponsor

Swinerton logo

School Spirit Sponsor

U.S. Engineering Construction logo

School Spirit Sponsor

Alpine Bank

Smart Start Sponsor

Cherry Creek Pediatric Dentistry

Smart Start Sponsor

Please contact us if you’d like to get involved and sponsor a future event.

Thank you to our Media Sponsor, Denver7, for their continuous support of all DPS students, educators, and families!

Denver 7 logo

2025 Events

The Back to Class Bash Season will include three events:

Service Day

  • Thank you to those of you who joined us on August 8 at the three school sites to beautify school grounds and set up for the pop-up supply event! 
  • We had more than 130 volunteers all joining together to ensure our students kick off the year on a high note! 

School Supply Event

  • Thank you to all volunteers who made this day possible. On August 9th, DPS Foundation, community volunteers and DPS Family and Community Engagement partnered up to bring a free DPS pop-up shop to life by helping families get everything they need to be ready for the
    first day of school.

Back2School 5K, A Fun Run with DPS Foundation and DPS Wellness Department

  • Sign up today to run or walk with Team DPS and community members while putting students first!
  • Sponsorships are still available! Email Jenny Martin at JMartin@dpsfoundation.org for more details.
  • Saturday, September 27, 2025 at Berkeley Lake Park, check in at 8am, run begins at 9am
  • Festivities to immediately follow the fun run

Past Events

Service Day

Thank you to those of you who joined us on August 8, 2025, at the three school sites to beautify school grounds and set up for the pop-up supply event! 

We had more than 130 volunteers all joining together to ensure our students kick off the year on a high note! 

School Supply Event

Thank you to all volunteers who made this day possible. On August 9, 2025, DPS Foundation, community volunteers and DPS Family and Community Engagement partnered up to bring a free DPS pop-up shop to life by helping families get everything they need to be ready for the first day of school.

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Back2School 5K

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Back2School 5K and Wellness Celebration! On Saturday, September 27, more than 350 runners and walkers came together at Berkeley Lake Park for a morning of exercise, wellness, and fun—all in support of DPS students and educator wellness. This event, hosted by the DPS Foundation in partnership with Employee Wellness, kicked off the school year with movement, connection, and community spirit.

Three individuals running across the finish line.
A young student wearing a blue shirt and hat runs on a path with other participants in the background.
Runners take off from the start line at the Back to School 5K Fun Run, wearing bright orange shirts and smiles.
Two participants smiling proudly after completing the Back to School 5K Fun Run, wearing bright orange event shirts and medals.
Participants stretch together before the Back to School 5K Fun Run.
A cheer team poses together outdoors, smiling and holding purple and gold pom-poms.
Three participants pose together at the Back to School 5K Fun Run, smiling and raising pom-poms in celebration.
Two individuals smile for a photo while holding their dog.
Participants smile as they run, wearing bright orange event shirts.
Student smiling while holding a medal in hand.
DPS Foundation CEO Sara Hazel speaks to participants, holding a microphone and clipboard.
Two students smile for the camera.
DPS Foundation staff smile together under the Employee Wellness canopy.
Group photo of four runners smiling while wearing their medals.
Student DJ plays music.
Participant finishes the race alongside their dog while receiving a medal.

Get Involved

An information table with a large poster that lists out the sponsors and partners of the Back to Class Bash. There are also working gloves and hats on the table.

Sponsor an Event

Interested in becoming a sponsor for one of our Back to Class Bash Season events?

View our Event Sponsorship Brochure below to learn more or reach out to DPS Foundation Director of Development, Jenny Martin, at jmartin@dpsfoundation.org.

View our Event Sponsorship Brochure

Back to Class Bash is the DPS Foundation’s celebratory back-to-school fundraiser event that gives corporate and community members alike a chance to join together to show our students and educators we stand behind them as they embark on a new school year. Many thanks to all volunteers who joined us on Friday, August 9, 2024 at three different schools: Ashley Elementary, Doull Elementary & Wyatt Academy! This year’s event featured three DPS students from Lake Middle School’s Denver DJ School to provide entertainment for our volunteers!

A white man and woman pose in front of a school playground for the Back to Class Bash.
A group of DPS Foundation volunteers gather in front of Wyatt Academy for the Back to School Bash.
An information table with a large poster that lists out the sponsors and partners of the Back to Class Bash. There are also working gloves and hats on the table.
A group of volunteers pose at playground of a school for the Back to Class Bash.
A black woman and two white women volunteer for the Back to Class Bash.
A group of teachers wearing United Airlines shirts stand in front of Ashley Elementary.
A young DJ wearing headphones around his neck works at a DJ mixer.
A white man and two young white girls stand in a paved playground outside of a school holding buckets of paint.
A group of volunteers paint the pavement at a tetherball court at a school.
A group of volunteers carry large bags of mulch to a school for the Back to Class Bash.
A group of volunteers gather together and pose at the outdoor playground and basketball court of a school.
Two volunteers paint the pavement a bright orange color.
A white young boy wearing a hat that says "DPS" holds a shovel and fills a wheel barrow with mulch.
A group of volunteers stand at a school playground while other volunteers perform maintenance behind them.
A large group of volunteers pose at the outdoor basketball court of a school for the Back to Class Bash.
A large group of volunteers pose outside of a school for the Back to Class Bash.

Sponsor an Event

Interested in becoming a sponsor for one of our Back to Class Bash Season events?

View our Event Sponsorship Brochure below to learn more or reach out to DPS Foundation Vice President of Development, MaryBeth Lawson, at marybeth_lawson@dpsk12.net.

View our Event Sponsorship Brochure
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