HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — Over 1,167 Columbine High School students led the 10th annual Day of Service on Monday, breaking the school’s participation record with 70% of the student body volunteering.

Students participated in 60 outreach service projects around metro Denver.

Monday marks 27 years since the shooting at Columbine High School, which took the lives of 12 classmates and one teacher. In 2025, another student died from her injuries sustained in the shooting.

On the day of observation, students and staff do not attend classes.

The annual Day of Service was started to bring together students, staff, and alumni to perform acts of kindness for first responders, senior citizens, local organizations, and other places in need of service.

► Annual Day of Service sees record participation from Columbine High School students

Annual Day of Service sees record participation from Columbine High School students

In 2019, Gov. Jared Polis proclaimed April 20 as a Day of Recommitment, a day to pause and remember the 13 who lost their lives and to recommit to acts of kindness.

A group from the Columbine Student Senate spent Monday afternoon drawing chalk art on the sidewalk of Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch.

“This day for me is probably one of my favorite days of the school year. As tragic as it is, I think it gives us a chance for all of us to come together and give back to something greater than what we do every day,” said Reese James, a Columbine High School junior.

A talented artist, Reese drew images of Winnie the Pooh and other childhood characters, which left children who walked past with huge smiles.

“I just think that Winnie the Pooh is such a delicate character,” Reese said. "He is a really relatable character as you get older, because he just lives in the moment, and that's what I think we forget to do sometimes.”

Over the last 10 years, the Columbine Day of Service has had 10,337 volunteers and 594 projects, spanning seven continents.