Holly Tripp

Holly Tripp

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Academy School District 20 school board, At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

Brigham Young University, 1994

Graduate

Truman State University, 1998

Contact

Campaign website

Holly Tripp ran for election for an at-large seat of the Academy School District 20 school board in Colorado. She was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Tripp completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Holly Tripp earned a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University in 1994 and a graduate degree from Truman State University in 1998. Tripp has experience working as an ELL teacher and classroom volunteer.

Elections

2025

See also: Academy School District 20, Colorado, elections (2025)

General election

General election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		Susan Payne (Nonpartisan)
		Brandon Clark (Nonpartisan)
		Cynthia Halverson (Nonpartisan)
		Renée Ludlam (Nonpartisan)
		Jennafer Stites (Nonpartisan)
		Holly Tripp (Nonpartisan)
		Eddie Waldrep (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The outcome of this election has not been called yet.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Tripp in this election.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Holly Tripp completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Tripp's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

As a military family, we moved to Colorado Springs in 2010 and were blessed to be able to stay, with our kids coming up through the D20 school system. In addition to small business experience, I have a background in education with several years as an ESL teacher and over 10 years in classrooms as a performance storyteller. I am running for school board because I believe our children are both our dearest gift and our greatest responsibility. What happens as schools and parents partner in education affects not only each child, but our community as a whole. I'm dedicated to ensuring our kids receive an excellent education that honors their potential and equips them for success.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I believe the purpose of schools, in partnership with parents, is to help kids grow into good, capable and empowered adults. In order to accomplish this, we must prioritize foundational skills such as grade-level reading, critical thinking and reasoning grounded in knowledge and facts, and effective and civil communication both in person and online. We want them to have those real-world skills necessary for lifelong success.
• Every child deserves a safe, supportive environment where their dignity is honored and their development is prioritized. Culture and instructional content should be developmentally appropriate in all classrooms. We need to diminish the noise and concerns that properly belong to adults to solve. Let kids be kids. We need to reduce in-classroom distractions including limiting cell phone use during the school day.
• Teachers play a pivotal role in student success and community strength. It's imperative we address the behavioral disruptions caused by some students that interfere with teaching and learning. We want to make sure we retain and attract great teachers with a culture of mentoring, collaboration and excellence. We need to make sure professional development is worth the time and money spent and has measurable impact.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Our children are our future. I feel strongly they are worth our attention and effort to help them experience real achievement, growth and relationships. Protecting child spaces and education is of primary importance.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials should have high integrity, a willingness to learn and serve, and be respectful in all their interactions.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A school board member should understand the values of the community they serve and work to ensure the school policies are honoring those values. They need to work with all stakeholders to ensure best educational practices are in place and monies are being wisely spent. Parents, teachers, staff and community members all have an important role to play.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I have a strong desire to be of use in a positive way in my home, family and community. I would like others to feel heard and valued as they interact with me. If I can help others along their way in this life, I will be satisfied.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked in a french bakery for a summer. A grumpy boss but a delicious place to work!

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

One of the best ways to ensure good mental health is to help students experience real achievement, real growth and real relationships. That means having meaningful expectations, reducing distractions and providing support to teachers. Teachers and staff need to have a voice and know they are appreciated for their work.

What existing district policies would you like to change, or what new policies would you like to implement?

I would like to see all schools become phone free during the school day. In addition, private girl and boy spaces such as locker rooms and bathrooms need to remain aligned with biological sex.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Congressman Jeff Crank, State Representative Jarvis Caldwell, CO State Board of Education Steve Durham, FMR State Rep Rose Pugliese, Fmr CO senator Paul Lundeen, CO Parent Advocacy Network founder Lori Gimelshteyn, Pikes Peak Assoc of Realtors

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

Classrooms should be a positive and protected space for students that honor their inherent dignity and worth. It is inappropriate to apply harmful labels to students based on misdeeds of the past. Students should be reading and discussing elevating content that acknowledges challenges but that helps them feel hopeful and positive about their world and their life. Distractions caused by phones, and chronically disruptive students need to be addressed proactively. Teachers should feel confident they have the support of staff and parents to hold students accountable for assignments and behaviors.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

Parents are a critical partner in education. I want to make sure they are welcome in schools as volunteers as much as possible. Only a small number of parents attend the district school board meetings. In addition to posting agendas on the website, I would like to see newsletters go out to inform parents of actions and issues before the board. We also want to make sure they know how to communicate with the board outside of the meetings.

Are there any areas of school curriculum you would like to see changed?

I would like to see history and emotional learning content taught without bias and without a push toward particular social or cultural ideologies.

What role should artificial intelligence have in your school district?

AI is a useful but flawed tool that is not going away. We need to train students in evaluating, sourcing and using AI. We also need to ensure they are doing assignments and tests in the classroom using solely their own knowledge and their own words.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

My greatest accomplishment is helping my children grow into the wonderful adults they are today. I am also very proud of the joy and positive conversation I bring to children in classrooms via storytelling.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Academy School District 20 school board, At-large

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