Keith King made his mark – and at times made waves – in a lot of ways during his 12 years in the legislature. It was the conservative Republican’s advocacy of education reform, school choice and especially charter schools that stood out most by the time he left the state Senate at the end of 2012.

So dedicated to educational opportunity was the onetime schoolteacher-turned-successful businessman-turned-lawmaker that he started, and continues to run, his own charter school in Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Early Colleges. The innovative program lets enrolled high-schoolers earn an associate’s degree from college for free while still in high school. Since startup in 2007, the operation has expanded to Fort Collins and Parker, with plans to open a campus in Aurora.

The program’s focus has been reaching at-risk students, including many economically disadvantaged students of color.

As reported in today’s Colorado Springs Gazette, King’s work doesn’t go unnoticed now any more than it did in his days in the General Assembly: On Friday, King will receive the “Friends of the Salute Award” during the Salute to Excellence in Education Awards Gala in Denver. The event is hosted by the Education Center, a Denver nonprofit that focuses on the needs of minority students.

King will be recognized as an “outstanding individual of any race who has dedicated their life to inspire and motivate the under-served minority students, parents and people of color in Colorado.”

According to The Gazette:

Annette Sills-Brown, executive director of The Education Center, said in a news release that King has gone “over and beyond” in his tireless efforts to work with and educate youth in diverse communities.