“Run! Run! Deploy! Deploy!” A mass of bodies sprints around the corner, cutting tightly onto the sand volleyball court. Crinkly silver fire shelters fly out of their packaging as their owners attempt to get beneath them as quickly as possible. Lying face down on the ground like so many baked potatoes, those under the shelters… Read more »
Everyone was packed and ready for a wet and rainy weekend of camping when thirteen 7th and 8th graders departed The Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) in Stapleton on a grey Saturday morning. While many expectations were filled and exceeded, the rain held off to deliver a sunny weekend with lots of learning, laughing… Read more »
Colorado Wildfire Project During this program, we will camp on-site and take a deep dive into learning about wildfires in Colorado. The curriculum explores how wildfires impact soil and land health, and investigates fire ecology and erosion. Students will check out new and old wildfire burn areas, and complete wildfire mitigation Action Projects to help… Read more »
The mountains were blanketed in a fresh snow, but the sun was shining and spirits were high when a Logan School class set out to learn about fire ecology and floods in the Rockies. The class of nineteen 3rd and 4th graders wound through hairpin turns on dirt roads where they could see first-hand the… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute was excited to collaborate with the College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) in a unique Fire and Flood Project exploring the foothills and gaining a deeper understanding of fire, water, and flood issues in Colorado. After an early morning pick-up at DIA, a group of 17 from Wisconsin, began their trip… Read more »
On June 14th, 2008 the lives of five high school students were sparked alight as they set out on the week-long Wildland Firefighter Project offered by the Cottonwood Institute. Led by two amazing people, Steve McCue and co-guide Megan Hurley, the adventurous group based themselves just outside of Buena Vista, CO, and set about experiencing… Read more »
Pour yourself a refreshing glass of iced tea, find a cozy spot under the shade of your favorite tree, and let the gentle rustling of leaves be the perfect backdrop as we share tales from our 2022-23 journey at Cottonwood Institute (CI)! It’s a tale of young minds ignited, trails explored, and communities empowered. … 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 »
Beginning my first season as a Cottonwood Instructor, I was thrilled to hit the ground running with one of our Explore Outside programs! On June 1st, our two-week program with STRIVE Prep – Sunnyside 8th graders began. During our time together, we covered all kinds of content that got us exploring the natural world. We… Read more »
Our friends and partners at Cal-Wood Education Center need your support. Cal-Wood is a Boulder County institution, inviting hundreds of students and families into the mountains each year to connect with nature and learn about their world. They have graciously allowed Cottonwood Institute to run program trips on their land for many years. Now, having… Read more »
