Altitude Elementary Hosts Veterans Day Parade
The Aurora school's parade honored veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders, kicking off a week of Cherry Creek Schools Veterans Day events.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Civic
Altitude Elementary School held a Veterans Day parade on Thursday morning through its Aurora neighborhood, honoring veterans, active-duty military, and first responders. The event kicked off a week of Veterans Day celebrations across Cherry Creek Schools.
Why it matters
The parade gives students a chance to thank those who have served and reflects a local tradition in Aurora's school community. This year's event was expanded with military flyovers and a special grand marshal.
The parade tradition is 16 years old, having first been launched by Principal Scott Schleich at another school before Altitude Elementary opened in 2018. Attendance figures and participant counts were not reported.
The players
Altitude Elementary School
A Cherry Creek Schools campus in Aurora, Colorado, which opened in 2018 and hosted this year's Veterans Day parade.
Scott Schleich
The principal of Altitude Elementary School, who has organized the parade since the school opened and is retiring after 25 years with the district.
Bill Wilhelmi
A Navy veteran named grand marshal of the parade, whose daughter teaches kindergarten at the school.
The details
Altitude Elementary transformed the surrounding Aurora neighborhood into a parade route on Thursday morning. This year Schleich expanded the event with military flyovers and a special grand marshal, Navy veteran Bill Wilhelmi, who joined the Navy at age 20 and was assigned to the USS Enterprise shortly after it was commissioned.
Timeline
2018: Altitude Elementary School opens and Principal Scott Schleich begins organizing the parade.
Thursday, November 5, 2026: Veterans Day parade held at Altitude Elementary School.
Civic Context
The parade opens a week of Veterans Day celebrations across Cherry Creek Schools, extending the district's annual observance. Schleich's decision to expand the event with flyovers and a special grand marshal marks a departure from the parade's earlier scale.
Families and community members in the Aurora neighborhood can see the parade route and military flyovers at Altitude Elementary School. The week of Cherry Creek Schools Veterans Day events extends the opportunity to attend local observances.
The takeaway
Community events that honor service members give students a direct way to learn about and thank veterans in their own neighborhood. Attending local Veterans Day observances is one practical way for residents to take part.
Further reading
Explore more Civic coverage for local context on community events like this one.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CBS News.
