Coyote or Kangaroo Rat: New Vista CAP Students Experience the Thrill of the Hunt (and the Joy of Play) at Betasso Preserve Field Day. Written by Instructor Amy Atkins. Do you ever wonder what it feels like to be a kangaroo rat? (Maybe right now, your brain took a hard right detour, and you are… Read more »
From Survival Skills to Community Impact: A Journey of Growth and Connection at RiseUp Community High School. Written by Logistics Manager Maeve O’Meara. This January, in the heart of Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, RiseUp Community High School welcomed Cottonwood Institute to offer students a unique opportunity for growth and connection. For the first time ever,… Read more »
How the Changemaker Outdoor Leadership Corps Discovered Magic Stewarding Colorado’s Land. Written by Senior CAP Instructor Erin Angel. The Changemaker Outdoor Leadership Corps spent two crisp, golden days together enjoying a break from the pressures of the “real world.” We gathered under the bright autumn sun at Reynolds Ranch to work with the inspiring Ranger… Read more »
Unveiling Growth, Connection, and Environmental Awareness in a Quarter of Discovery. Written by CAP Instructor Sadie Norton. After CAP Class, in an anonymous survey, 92% of students agreed they are “more likely to make a positive difference in my community,” 92% “feel more connected to my peers,” and 92% of students “believe my actions can… Read more »
AXL Academy CAP students wrap up their term with an epic game of Capture the Flag during the overnight camping trip. Written by CAP Instructor Carly Winner. Escrito en español más abajo. See more photos here! AXL Academy 7th and 8th grade Trimester 1 students explored Cal-Wood Education Center for their fall overnight! Excitement was… Read more »
A Q&A! In early October, the students from the Centaurus High School CAP class spent two beautiful days in the mountains at Cheley Outpost. They made fires, cooked a feast, went on a night hike, learned about fire ecology, and did a service project. Q&A (question and answer) with the students: Q:What was the most… Read more »
We are so excited to formally welcome Tucker Knight (they/them) to the CI team! Tucker has been field instructing with us since the summer, and they are teaching CAP Class at STRIVE Prep Westwood this fall. Tucker brings a range of experiences to the team, from working one-on-one with students last school year, to creating… Read more »
Written by Curriculum Manager Chelsea Tossing (Escrito en español más abajo) We don’t know about you, but here at CI it’s certainly hard to believe we’re nearing the end of the summer months! As we crest into the end of the summer program season and start of the school year, we wanted to take a moment… Read more »
Escrito en español más abajo. Written by Cottonwood Institute alum Kira Gilliland. Cottonwood Institute’s flagship program, the Community Adventure Program (CAP), has been at Centaurus High School in Lafayette, CO since 2017. More recently, Cottonwood created Changemakers, a high school leadership program for alumni of our Boulder County programs. The Changemakers program gives about ten… Read more »
Written by CAP Instructor & Curriculum Manager Chelsea Tossing If you live anywhere in the drought-stricken west, wildfire has almost definitely been on your mind these past few years. With three out of the four of Colorado’s largest wildfires ravaging the state in 2020 and both the Marshall fire and the NCAR fire impacting our… Read more »
