And The Award Goes To…

This has been a phenomenal year for the Cottonwood Institute and we are so proud of everything our students have accomplished. But don’t take our word for it, let the awards speak for themselves:

CITY OF BOULDER OUTSTANDING YOUTH VOLUNTEER AWARD:

Every year, the City of Boulder, through the Youth Opportunities Advisory Board, recognizes 10 outstanding youth who go above and beyond to make a positive contribution to their community. Two Community Adventure Program alumni, Zander Deetz and Aaron Fox, won the 2010 Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award for their involvement with the Earth Task Force at New Vista High School to help reduce their school’s environmental footprint. To learn more about the accomplishments of the Earth Task Force, check out our previous articles: New Vista Flips The Solar Switch and Students Take The Lead To Reduce Their School’s Environmental Footprint.

BOULDER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT’S HONOR ROLL:

Finally, the amazing accomplishments of the Earth Task Force were also recognized by Boulder Valley School District through the Superintendent’s Honor Roll. The Superintendent awarded each member a certificate and recognized the Earth Task Force at the beginning of the Boulder Valley School District’s April 21, 2010 Board of Education meeting. According to Superintendent Chris King, the Earth Task Force at New Vista High School was recognized for their “outstanding contributions toward meeting BVSD’s goals as outlined in the BVSD Sustainability Management System or SMS.”

2010 RIPPLE EFFECT AWARD:

Each spring, we take a moment to recognize all of the amazing Action Projects that our students take on each year to help initiate positive change in their schools, in their communities, and for the environment. We hosted our 2010 Ripple Effect Awards at the REI Boulder Store on Friday, May 21, 2010. Attendees evaluated and voted for the 2009 Action Project that had the biggest impact and selected Bees, Buildings, and Bites as the 2010 Ripple Effect Award winner! We also want to thank Old Chicago for donating pizza, Folsom Street Coffee for donating tea, and Bryan Buikema from Cracker 8 Projects for designing and creating this beautiful award, which will be on display at New Vista High School.

Three Trees and a River Project Was Quite A Ride

After braving the rain and thunderous skies this spring, the final phase of our Three Trees and a River Project was quite a ride. We collaborated with Front Range Earth Force, students from Gilpin E-8 Montessori School in Denver, CO, and the Garden Club of Denver to plant native trees at the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield to help restore habitat for local wildlife. Students and volunteers worked diligently to plant whips and young saplings into the moist, muddy ground. We marked our trees with a dedication so we could return in the future to check on the progress of the trees we planted.

After an afternoon of practicing survival skills and camping under the stars, the excitement of their final trip together was yet to come. The next day, students teamed up with City Wild for an experience of a lifetime by rafting down the sometimes gentle, sometimes thrilling current of the South Platte River. Although they floated away with some initial trepidation, students ended the trip with new found courage, respect for the water, and smiles that could not be erased for days.

From water monitoring in the fall, surviving in the wilderness during the fall and spring, planting trees, and racing down rapids, students came away from this experience with a new respect for nature, the skills to explore the outdoors again, and the knowledge to protect it for future generations. Although there wasn’t one particular moment that stood out above the rest, the teamwork and support we saw in all of the students was impressive. The ability they had to overcome their fears as they learned to trust themselves was phenomenal. The positive attitude and sense of pride that emanated from each and every student as they said goodbye and walked back to the van wishing there was more time to do it all again, spoke much louder than words could ever express.

To relive the adventure of the Three Trees and a River Project, check out our latest movie and share it with your family and friends by Clicking Here.

A very special thanks goes out to everyone who made this pilot project possible, including: REI and Mustache 4 Cash supporters for funding the project, Front Range Earth Force and Gilpin Montessori E-8 School for organizing the students to work with, and the Garden Club of Denver, the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, and City Wild for helping us execute the project. If you are interested in helping us scale and replicate this project with other public schools in the future, please contact Ford Church at 303.447.1076.

Related Links:

• To check out a photo gallery of our spring trip, Click Here
• To read about our fall water monitoring project, Click Here
• To read about our success of our fall survival overnight trip, Click Here