ACHS Snowplow Field Trip

For more than 20 years, Adams City High School’s Visual Arts program has partnered with Commerce City Public Works and the Commerce City Police Department to give students a once-in-a-lifetime artistic opportunity: painting the city’s snowplow blades.

Each fall, ACHS students design and paint large-scale murals that transform everyday snowplows into rolling works of art. The City provides all art supplies, along with lunch for the students, while the Police Department transports participants safely to and from the Public Works building. This collaboration makes it possible for our young artists to create something truly memorable while strengthening the connection between school and community.

The students’ murals are first revealed during the Commerce City Homecoming Parade, where the painted plows serve as the Visual Arts program’s “floats.” Crowds line the streets to celebrate the students’ creativity, school spirit, and hard work, making the event a highlight of the year for the entire community.

The Snowplow Field Trip is more than just painting. It’s about teamwork, pride, and cultural expression. Students work in groups, blending their ideas into a shared design that reflects one of five themed categories: Pride of Being an Eagle, Homecoming Traditions, Culture & Identity, Art History Inspired, or Creativity & Originality. These categories encourage students to represent who they are, honor their heritage, or push their imagination in bold new directions.

This beloved tradition would not be possible without the continued support of Adams 14 School District, Commerce City leadership, the Public Works Department, the Police Department, and the snowplow drivers themselves, who volunteer their time to showcase the students’ artwork. Their generosity ensures that ACHS students not only leave their mark on the city but also carry with them the memory of being part of something positive, unique, and unforgettable.

A painted mural on a truck with the words 'Aiden Taylor', 'Tessa May', 'Angel Santos', and 'Ardelle Jones' at the top. The mural features red roses with green leaves and a musical staff with notes. The text 'Adams City High School' is written on a bl
A parade float with a painted mural of a large open mouth with sharp teeth and a tongue that reads 'ACAU' in chaotic, colorful art. The float is pulling a garbage truck, with other decorated floats visible in the background.
Colorful boat with painted design including an eagle, a monster with sharp teeth, and water waves, in a workshop setting.
A street with a large truck decorated with colorful artwork and the text 'ACH5'. The artwork features a cartoon bear, rocks, and trees. There are other trucks behind it and trees in the background, with a clear blue sky overhead.
A colorful hand-painted boat featuring a cartoon character and the word 'ACH' in large pink letters. The background of the boat includes vibrant shades of green, purple, and pink, with some black line detail. The boat is inside a workshop, with vario
Colorful graffiti art on a large white surface featuring the word 'ACH' with each letter in different bright colors. The design includes an eagle's head in the letter 'C,' a football, a soccer ball, a pencil, a game controller, a star, a music note,
A parade float decorated with a banner for Adams City High School. The banner features flowers and music notes, with names written on the top edge. A fire truck is driving behind the float, with clear blue skies and trees in the background.
A colorful graffiti mural on a wall featuring the word "LOVE" with a cartoon girl in the center. The girl has black hair with a yellow bow, big eyes, and wears a yellow shirt. The background includes swirling patterns and vibrant colors. Paint suppli
Colorful graffiti art on a large, curved barrier featuring the word 'ACTION' with a football, a fist, an eagle, a pencil, and a soccer ball, in a warehouse or industrial space.
A street parade with colorful floats. The foreground features a truck with a decorated barrier painted with a blue, yellow, and black monster face with an open mouth showing teeth, and a small black bird flying over a white skull. The background show
A parade float decorated with a colorful, school-themed display featuring the letters 'ACHS' with a mascot, a football, and a soccer ball, driven by a large white fire truck with a snowplow attachment in front.
A parade float with colorful artistic designs, including a cute cartoon character and the text 'ACH5', being pulled by a large white truck on a sunny street with trees and residential buildings in the background.
A street early in the morning with a large snowplow vehicle decorated with a colorful banner that says 'Ashe' and features a cartoon girl, with rock salt spreader blade in front of it, and people in the background.
A parade float designed as a snow plow truck with a black and white front, decorated with red roses, green leaves, musical notes, and the words 'Adams City High School' on it. The float displays names of students written on top.
A street sweeper with colorful graffiti art on its front pushes across a crosswalk on a sunny day, with people and cars in the background.
A large parade float designed to look like a boat with an orange hull and a white eagle logo with the letters 'AC' on its chest. The float has a truck on top and flags at each end. The float has small signs that read 'Homecoming 2023' and 'Anne Brigi
A street scene with a black street sweeper decorated with colorful graffiti art on its front, sweeping the road for a parade or event, with houses, trees, and people in the background.
Large street sweeper truck with colorful graffiti artwork on the front blade, featuring the name 'Acho', a crown, and football symbols, parked outdoors on a sunny day with other trucks and people in the background.
A large white utility truck with colorful graffiti art of an octopus in a sea wave scene on its front bumper.
Fire truck with a colorful underwater scene painted on the front, including seahorses, a whale, algae, jellyfish, and coral, during a parade with people walking nearby and trees in the background.
A parade float decorated with colorful artwork of a dragon against a wave pattern, with handwritten names and messages, being pulled through a neighborhood street lined with trees and houses.
A street scene with a large water truck and a decorated float featuring a red and yellow dragon and blue waves, with people standing and talking near a sign that reads 'Walker Thomas Council Ward 2' on a sunny day.
An orange street sweeper vehicle decorated with graffiti art, driving on a street with trees and buildings in the background.
Orange snowplow truck with a space-themed design on the front blade, featuring planets, stars, and a cartoon astronaut bird.
An orange snowplow with a painted front blade featuring an eagle flying among clouds, parked on a street with trees and other vehicles in the background.
Large snowplow with a painted Hollywood theme, featuring an eagle and a star, parked on a street with trees and cars in the background.
A large boat is being painted with a colorful, underwater-themed mural in a workshop. An artist is sitting on the ground, working on the mural, which features aquatic animals and vibrant designs.
A large painted panel featuring the Eiffel Tower with the text 'Night in Paris 2022' at the top. The artwork is inside a garage or warehouse with painting supplies and art equipment around. The background shows some equipment, hoses, and a red tool c
A colorful mural painting of a woman's face with blue hair, decorated with flowers and stars, featuring a cosmic theme with jellyfish and abstract patterns, signed "Amanda Hall 2024" on a machine part in an industrial setting.
A large snowplow truck with a decorative front blade featuring a colorful graphic of a woman with long hair, beaded necklaces, and traditional attire, set outdoors on a clear day with blue sky.
A large orange snowplow truck with a decorated plow featuring a colorful skull with flowers and the words "CA CUAS" parked on a paved lot under a clear blue sky.
A red street sweeping truck with graffiti artwork on its front blade, parked on a street under a clear blue sky.
A red street plow truck with pink floral and eagle decorations on the front, parked on the side of the road next to a field and clear blue sky.
A graffiti-style painting on the side of a vehicle featuring an eagle with green and white feathers and the word "ACHS" in large black letters. The background includes orange and green colors.
Graffiti of large green eyes and a cartoon chameleon making a peace sign on a vehicle's side panel.
Orange snow plow truck with a painted blade featuring stars, swirls, and flowers, parked on a rainy road with dark clouds overhead.
Snow plow truck with a colorful eagle face graphic painted on the front blade. The plow has a splatter paint design in black, orange, and green.
A snow plow truck with colorful artwork on the front blade, depicting large green eyes and a cartoon character in the center, parked on a cloudy day.
A large orange snow plow truck with a decorative blade featuring an eagle's face and the initials 'ACH' on a cloudy day in a parking lot.
A parade float with a colorful mural features a fierce tiger, a green animal mascot, and the text 'AED'S'; the float is attached to an orange truck parked on a gray road under overcast skies.
A large snowplow blade painted with a cartoon parrot with green feathers and an orange beak, surrounded by splattered paint marks in various colors. There are also black handprints and small details, including text that reads "A class of 2019 Ashley
An orange utility truck with a snow plow attached, parked on a gray cloudy day.
Orange snowplow truck with graffiti art on the front blade, parked on asphalt with trees, a house, and clear blue sky in the background.
Orange snow plow truck with a front blade painted with pink flowers and green eyes, parked on a street. People are seen in the background.
Painted mural featuring a person with an orange cloud above their head, surrounded by thought bubbles. Text reads 'Adam's City High 2019' at the top.
Colorful mural of a sunset with palm trees, birds, and ocean waves painted on a wooden surface.
A painted wooden barrier featuring a desert scene at sunset with a silhouette of a person riding a donkey and a dog nearby, signed by Angela G. Duesig.
Painting of a bear's face with open mouth and sharp teeth on a wooden surface.