The spark behind Ignite is a unique partnership between Durango School District (DSD) and Durango Education Foundation (DEF). Funding from generous local donors demonstrates what is possible when schools and the community invest together in students.
Beginning July 29, 2026, Ignite will make its first stops at schools and neighborhood locations throughout Durango. DSD families are invited to climb aboard, explore exciting technology and creative learning activities, and discover what makes Ignite such a unique educational experience.
This week's schedule
Wednesday, July 29
- 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. – Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School
- 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. – SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab / Riverview Elementary School
- 4 - 6 p.m. – Fassbinder Park (Triangle Park)
Friday, July 31
- 9 - 11 a.m. – Sunnyside Elementary School
- 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. – Florida Mesa Elementary School
- 2 - 4 p.m. – Park Elementary School
DSD families are welcome to drop in during any of these times to experience Ignite. Activities are free, designed for students of all ages, and will change throughout the summer.
Weekly themes & activities
Each week, Ignite will feature a new STEAM theme with fresh, hands-on learning experiences for students of all ages.
Theme for July 29 & 31: Colorado Wildlife. Join us as we explore the amazing animals that call Colorado home! Through a variety of high-tech and low-tech activities, students will discover the habitats, behaviors, and adaptations of wildlife both big and small while building creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving skills.
Coming the week of Aug. 3: Communication – Then & Now. Discover how people have communicated across time through both analog and digital technologies. Activities may include coding to communicate, Morse code challenges, programming electronic devices, communication through music, and a no-tech Maker space for creative exploration.
View the ongoing schedule: This Week on Ignite
Join us for the official ribbon cutting!
You're also invited to celebrate the official launch of the Ignite Mobile Learning Lab.
- Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Impact Career Innovation Center on the Durango High School Campus
- 5:45 - 6:15 p.m. – Ribbon Cutting & Community Acknowledgements
- 6:15 - 7 p.m. – Open Bus, Tours & Hands-On Activities
This special event is an opportunity to explore the bus, meet the partners who helped make Ignite possible, and celebrate an exciting new resource for Durango School District students.
Learn more
Visit the Ignite Mobile Learning Lab website hub page to learn more about the program, see the updated schedule, view frequently asked questions, and explore how Ignite will serve students throughout the year:
We can't wait to welcome you aboard! See you at Ignite.
– Durango School District & Durango Education Foundation
Funding & Partners
Lead Funding Partners: The Durango Education Foundation gratefully acknowledges the organizations and individuals whose generous contributions helped bring Ignite to life.
- 100 Women Who Care La Plata
- Bank of Colorado
- Bronson Family McDonald's
- Carol & Sean Cleary
- Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado
- Dalton Ranch Golf Club
- El Pomar Regional Council
- Hutton Broadcasting
- Joan Roberts-Ems & The Obleton Family
- La Plata Electric Association
- Lions Club of Durango
- Moniker Foundation
- Murphy Trust
- Roy & Gloria Dinsdale Foundation
- Summit Church
- Susan Carol Unser
Business & Project Partners: Ignite would not have been possible without the expertise and generosity of these local partners:
- Durango School District Bus Barn Team – Bus renovation and mechanical improvements
- Wanderful Wheels (Patrick & Colleen O'Brien) – Interior design and custom retrofit
- Elements Media (Andy Bane, owner; Adjoa Hursey, designer) – Exterior bus wrap production
- Monica Louise Design (DSD alumna) – Exterior wrap refinement and interior donor recognition design
- Morgan Kraska and Durango High School Design Students – Original exterior design concept
- Superintendent's Student Advisory Council & Dr. Karen Cheser – Original interior design concept, project advocacy, and fundraising support