Ricks Center for Gifted Children

The Ricks Center for Gifted Children, originally called The University Center for Gifted Young Children, was founded in the summer of 1984 by Norma Lu Hafenstein and is currently a part of the University of Denver and has over 250 students.
History
Originally, class was held on rented space, but the space was too little to start a viable school. After many parents wanted their children's education to continue, a major fundraiser for the school was held that raised over 100,000 dollars. The primary benefactress for this fundraiser was Alta Merle Ricks, who the school was named after. After the new facility was completed and the staff moved in, the students' needs changed dramatically. The students wanted classrooms where they could study art, music, and science, among other subjects. In 1996, a huge donation was made, allowing six more classrooms to be added. An early childhood area was added as well as a middle school wing, allowing for more students to come. After it became well-known in Denver's educational community, its popularity with the parents of gifted students increased.

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