GO CAP!

3rd quarter CAP is off and running… students are planning their action project which focuses on food miles. Some of the events and actions they have planned include:

• The planning and construction of a garden shed to support our garden.
• Repairing and Reworking the garden paths and fencing.
• Volunteer work with Growing Gardens in exchange for seeds and help planning our spring planting.
• The first ever “Fruit Friday” at New Vista, instead of Cookies.

More to information to come soon…

Conserving Water Creatively

“When you drink the water, remember the spring” ~Chinese Proverb

• How much water do you use everyday?
• Where does your water come from?
• How long could you survive without water?

The second quarter CAP class chose “water” as their environmental issue. Students got excited about this issue after reading the New York Time article “The Future is Drying Up” by Joe Gertner. The article addresses water rights in the West and the imminent water shortage that Coloradans face if we continue to use water at our current rate of consumption.

After some initial conversations, much research, and feelings of being overwhelmed by such a big issue, students came up with the following problem statement:

In North America, the average American uses 600 liters of water a day, while the average African uses 6. In reality, humans need to use about 50 liters per day. Over consumption of water does not just mean taking long showers, leaving the tap running while you brush your teeth, or watering the lawn. One of our biggest consumers of water is industrial agriculture. To make one cotton T-shirt it takes 9oz of cotton. To make that t-shirt from that cotton it takes 25 bathtubs full of water. In homes, businesses, and industrial agriculture, our water is being polluted and unnecessarily used. As a result of the high demand for water we are putting our scarce supply of fresh water, and ourselves, at risk.

The students did a lot of research to be sure they were well-informed about water issues. The class met with the Keep It Clean Partnership, and took a tour of Boulder’s waste water treatment plant. They also read many articles from water experts. Students researched the sources of their own water and mapped their watersheds.

After much deliberation students decided to address this problem through an educational campaign at their school. The class divided into four groups:

• The art group created educational posters and a collaborative mural using provocative art
• A second group created educational pamphlets
• A third created a movie about water in arid Colorado
• And to tie it all together the class wrote and performed a skit for the whole school.

The students aim to have their mural displayed in the City of Boulder’s water office. They distributed their pamphlets after their presentation to the whole school. The movie, an animated film which shows what the future might look like if we don’t change our habits was a hit, with one teacher exclaiming, “That was one of the best CAP presentations I’ve ever seen.”

The students worked hard to create a fantastic educational campaign and their water posters remain posted around the school on bathroom doors, above water fountains, and over sinks.

Well Done CAP!

CAP Pre-Course Survey, 3rd Quarter 2010

Welcome to the Community Adventure Program. Before we get started, we need to get some feedback about the outdoors, the environment, your community, etc. Please answer this survey honestly and to the best of your ability. The good folks who fund this class use this information to assess the performance of the class and this information will help us acquire new grants. Please Click Here To Take The Survey.

Through water issues, new friendships, and freezing cold temps

The 2nd quarter CAP class of the 2009-10 school year have been on quite a journey. While our first overnight in November boasted balmy fall temperatures, our second in December had record lows! Another group might not have been able to handle it, but 2nd quarter CAP pulled through. Our action project–Conserving Water Creatively was a smash hit at exhibition day, with one teacher exclaiming “That was the best CAP presentation I have ever seen.” Here are some photos and quotes from all of the students who made this quarter such a success.

“This quarter I have been so fortunate to have an incredibly positive and fun environment to look forward to at the end of each day. This class has been one of the most rewarding, irreplaceable school experiences I’ve ever had. The overnights were such remarkable experiences for me. Each trip made me feel invigorated. I left feeling refreshed, passionate for environmental conservation, and conscious of my ability to slow down and take on thing at a time.” ~Marissa Bramlett

“CAP class has changed my point of view on so many things about the environment that I never would have thought of before. It brought new ideas to my attention. What I can do with the information I learned is just spread what I learned to others and hope they learn from it like me. The overnights were so great and they helped me out so much. If I could take CAP every quarter I would.” ~Taylor McQueeney

“The class as a whole was one giant new experience for me. I did and learned a lot of things that I otherwise would have never got the chance for. I went camping for the first time in my life! Twice, one of which was in freezing cold temperatures, that was a skill I never thought I had. I got to make music for a movie, and I really branched out and got to know my classmates a lot better. I feel like we developed a family like group since we were all so diverse yet had to interact with each other and I’m really glad I got to know all these amazing people that I otherwise wouldn’t have bother to get to know. ~Benza Maman

“This quarter I learned a lot, from helping the environment, to reducing my human footprint, to the one match fire! When I joined CAP I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I found out I really liked it. Overall this quarter I learned to look at people differently and to think differently, and how I can make a difference in the world.” ~Halsey Black

“Our CAP class has learned a lot about a lot of things and done quite a lot too! We’ve learned and discussed the human footprint, including water issues and what we can do about it. We learned wilderness skills and about the electrical and heating system in our school and how to save on energy in our houses. I think we’ve really gotten a chance to think about what we cand o personally and in bigger ways to change some problems in our community and really look at those problems we would otherwise never realize.” ~Bayani Kawal

“I enjoyed doing the action project because I realized how big the environmental issue “water” can be, as well as some of the things I need to start doing to improve my environmental footprint. Working on the action project got me aware of the issues that we face today concerning water, energy, CO2 emissions and many more. After taking this class I will start changing some of my habits that impact the world even if they are small, every little thing counts and adds up. I will encourage my family to change their habits too.” ~Nick Smith

“The CAP program is a very unique and interesting class. I feel privileged to have participate in this class. One thing I didn’t expect what that I got to know everyone in the class extremely well. This class has taught me a great deal about myself and how I work in a group dynamic. I’ve never had to rely on the other members of my group they way I had to for this class.  This class forces you to make friends, it is almost impossible to just hide back and do the work, which I am used to. Being an informed member of our global community makes wasting and polluting much more difficult. I have found that because I know more it makes it much harder because I can’t make the claim that I didn’t know what I was doing.” ~Thomas Regur

“CAP has been a great opportunity for me. It’s allowed me to expand my horizons. I enjoyed all the activities and projects we’ve done. I honestly wish I didn’t pick CAP this quarter because it is one of the shortest quarters and I want more. I want more time to do things, and to bring more awareness to our action project.” ~Yaxa deLaGrange

“I started this class in all truthfulness because I am a senior and I thought it would be an easy way to kill time. First of all I want to say that it has not been easy, I have been forced to use every aspect of my being to lead myself through waht I thought would be my final walk in the park at New Vista. [It was] on the first overnight that I realized the power of this class…the overnight allowed me to believe that no matter what happened we would have a strong enough foundation to succeed [on our action project]. Throughout the project I found out that you don’t really have to care about something to put your heart into it, and also sometimes when you put your heart into something you realize you do care about it. Throughout this class I have had the chance to be myself and also to try to step out of my comfort zone and work on things that I never would have. What I love about CAP is that it is so much: it’s a chance to be yourself, a chance to learn about the environment, a chance to work with others, but most of all it’s a chance to make a change… I have even started to write about the environment in my college essays, and found myself talking to my whole family. Thoreau said ‘As if you could kill time without injuring eternity,” so while I started this class to kill some time, in some way I believe my life will never be the same.” ~Julien Scherliss

“This class has helped me to feel jazzed about being kind to the earth, and I feel inspired to take better care of my environment. Throughout my life, am here and now committing to do as much work to heal the earth as I can. It is a big task and the world needs all the helping hands it can get.” ~Tzuria Malpica

“I think the biggest thing I learned this quarter is that knowledge is power and you should abuse it. If you research something like water issues that everyone is a part of and don’t tell people about the affects that they obviously aren’t aware of, then you are not doing your part. Knowledge is the first step to change. When people understand that their 20 minute shower isn’t just excessive it’s also, in a way, stealing water from other people and animals downstream, you put the power in their hands.” ~Henry Giebler

“This class has given me hope for our future. It’s stunning to me that CAP is not taught in every school. It feels like it is essential to receive an education about the harsh wounds our earth is suffering. How are we supposed to mend the problem if we’re not given the tools to do so. In addition, I fear that this generation is losing it’s connection with nature. Technology has infected like the plague. CAP reminds us that we are a collective. Through CAP I have developed an increased awareness of my footprint. I also have a heightened appreciation for the rapidly fading natural world that we often take advantage of. Ernest Becker writes, ‘When we understand that man is the only animal who must create meaning, who must open a wedge into neutral nature, we already understand the essence of love. Love is the problem of an animal who must find life, create a dialogue with nature in order to experience his own being.’ Thanks to CAP, I can’t wait to hear the rest of my conversation with nature.” ~Tess Eckert

CAP Post Course Survey, 2nd Quarter 2009

As the quarter comes to a close, I wanted to get some open and honest feedback from this class about how to improve the CAP for future students. This information will not affect your grade, but please take it seriously. It will be reviewed by your school, the Cottonwood Institute, and this information will help us secure funding to make this class accessible to other high school students. Please Click Here to Take the Survey.

“Never Put a Tent on a Slant!”

This quarter, CAP students are focusing on water. Industrial farming, pollution and water usage are

the three main issues they are addressing. “You need water to use,” says one student. “It’s being diminished so quickly; it needs to be protected.”

For Action Project week, students are going to do an art mural, produce pamphlets detailing ways to save water, act out a skit on Exhibition Day, and clean up the creek on Friday. They’ve been working hard, and everything’s finally coming together.

This CAP class is really zany. It’s a large group, but everyone gets along just fine. There’s a lot of laughter and jokes and good ideas floating around the room. Their favourite part about CAP so far has been the camping trip, where they learned bowdrilling and other essential survival techniques, went on an awesome midnight hike, and Thomas told a scary story. They also learned to “never put a tent on a slant (with ten people in it)!” and to never bring easy mac on an overnight.

Have fun, CAP!

2nd Quarter New Vista Community Adventure Program (CAP): Overnight!

From November 7-8, we headed out for the first weekend overnight. The campsite was Camp Cheley, near Allenspark, which offered a beautiful pine forest with a stream running by. The weather was mostly sunny, although the cool fall air warned us of winter, and the days felt shorter than ever. We still managed to fit in plenty of games and learn new skills.

We practiced some camping basics such as selecting campsites, setting up a bear hang, digging a sump hole, and preparing a fire. Also, we learned important wilderness survival strategies such as building shelter, fire-making techniques, and developing awareness in the outdoors. Some of these skills were put to the test in a fierce competition to see who could build the most effective survival shelter. While these shelters are not as easily constructed as they appear, they would make the difference between life and death in a survival situation. Things really got heated up when we learned about different methods of making fire. Everyone successfully made 1-match fires (sometimes using a couple extra matches) and cotton-ball fires.A few people were even able to use bow-drill kits to make fire by friction: a task that requires tremendous determination, perfect form, and sometimes a little luck. Well done!

We were lucky enough to have student-teacher / CAP veteran Aleyna Porecca along for her 7th CAP overnight to help everyone out with building fires, debris huts, and camp logistics. Michael Koehler, an intervention intern at New Vista, also came along for the ride. Right now Michael is studying wilderness therapy at Naropa, and he has been a tremendous asset on the last two CAP overnights. Thanks for the help you guys! These trips certainly would not be the same without you.

Most of the seniors in the group had just finished lengthy standardized testing and arrived late Saturday afternoon. Although they were weary, they soon forgot their stress and joined the festivities. The tone of the trip was lighthearted and full of laughter. New friendships were forged, stories were told, and the group transitioned into a community. All of these things were essential for tackling the environmental action project ahead.

The CAP overnights help to remind us what we are trying to protect, and why. CAP is a completely unique experience because students dictate their own education. They find an environmental issue they are passionate about, and then actively form resolutions to make the world into a better place. Often times, this task is daunting. It is an easy thing to shrug our shoulders and say that there is nothing we can do for the environment, but it takes hard work and courage to take a stand. The students of CAP are the future leaders of our community. The decisions they make will span beyond our lifetime and will affect the future generations. They are the Johnny Appleseeds of our time, planting hope for those that come after them.

The next trip will be December 7-8. Stay tuned!

Earth Task Force

The Earth Task Force is Coming…to New Vista High School!

What is the Earth Task Force? We are a club, a group of students and adults who really want to help the environment. “It’s so awesome that we can actually make changes in the school and see them happen!” - Aleyna

What is the ETF up to? This year, we are heading a green-school initiative to lower the environmental footprint of New Vista High School. We are focusing on three topics for the year: Energy in February, Waste/Recycling in March, and Transportation in April. “I’m super stoked to do stuff to green the school.” - Sean

Okay, so what are you doing right now? Well… We need an artsy logo for our club, and since New Vista is full of artistic, creative people, we’re organizing a school-wide logo-making cosntest that will simultaneously let everyone know that we’re here! “It [the art contest] gives a chance to let people’s art go on t-shirts and all over the place.” - Malcolm

The logo chosen will be printed on t-shirts, newsletters, websites and more!

To prepare for Energy Month in February, we will be having an energy audit at the school to tell us, specifically, what can be improved at school.

Finally, there is going to be a school-wide launch in January that will really let everyone know about the great work we’re doing!

“I am truly excited to become a leader in our school and join this incredible process…” - Aaron

Thank you, and you will be hearing more about us and from us soon!

2nd quarter 2009

2nd quarter of CAP is off to a great start. We’ve been hiking to learn about our local environment, researching local environmental issues, and getting ready for our first overnight coming up this weekend. Stay tuned for more…

What Students Have to Say… About CAP 1st Quarter 2009

“Very rarely have I taken a class that I look forward to during the school day. This quarter I had a class like that, it was CAP. ” ~Ollie Hewat

“This quarter CAP class has been outstanding. It is the only class in which I know everyone’s names and the only class I look forward to going to. CAP has allowed me to get to know people in ways that don’t happen easily in a classroom. I learned so much in an environment that I loved. I still feel like I did something big with the class working on GMO awareness. Telling an entire community about the stuff we learned on GMOs was the best thing that has happened all year.” ~Emily Morrison

“Everyday, after seminar, I felt like the bad part of my day was over and the real day was just beginning. I loved walking into CAP and seeing everyone’s happy and anticipating faces…I plan to take this knowledge and apply it wherever I go from the simple concepts like the 5 W’s to our large action project.” ~Sean Shriver-Karlson

“Where to begin? This class has made such a positive impact on my life, it is so hard to describe. It has not just changed my life it has taken me on a six-week journey…Everything ranging from the overnight prep to the Action Project week made me full of glee and excitement everyday. It has certainly been the best class I have taken. I learned more in this class than I have in my three years of high school. The purpose of this paper reads, “To reflect on your entire experience with the Community Adventure Program.” I know I won’t be able to fit my love for this class into five pages of writing.” ~Aaron Fox

“The more you do to help the world, the more powerful you feel, the less helpless… At the start of the quarter I was skeptical… I was sure I couldn’t learn anything new about the environmental problems of the world. When we began looking at issues I was close-minded and righteous. When we debated issues I had a strong “I am right and you are wrong” opinion. CAP has not only changed that righteousness, but it has ended it. As my mind open and I began to trust other people in the class I became more than willing to learn other people’s opinions. The action project renewed my faith in the human race.” Marely Kremler.

“I loved taking this class and learned a lot from being there. I made a bunch of new friends. The games and activities we did helped me in my life and made me think a lot more of the environment and how to deal with problems in general. This class helped me through the quarter, it gave me something to look forward to during the day. I’m extremely glad I took this class and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.”
~Alex Reed

“When people are in nature, interact with it, and are open-minded about their surroundings they start to realize that [food and shelter] are something to do to stay alive and working takes on a whole new meaning. Nature seems to bring out people’s true feelings and selves. No longer are they pressed with worries of everyday life as they know it, they are facing other more meaningful issues…I’ve started realizing that every little thing that someone does, does help and that it makes you feel loads better if you have done something and channeled anger into productivity: the cycle of hope. I got so excited about making a difference that for my CE I’ve joined the Wildland Restoration Volunteers. I am the head youth coordinator for projects and youth involvement… Sometimes we are scared of playing too big of a role, or that we’ll mess up, but if we keep our minds in the right direction and we keep on trying, the outcome can only be positive.” ~Carrie Harrison

“CAP is amazing. I learned so much from this class. Not just wilderness skills and community projects, but forming tight friendships as well. I created very good relationships in this class that will continue. I laughed the hardest I’ve laughed in a long time and I was challenged in new ways that stretched my old ways of thinking; my comfort levels were stretched… and tears actually fell when I was laying in bed sick on speakerphone with the whole class the last day. I will miss CAP so much and am grateful that I could be a part of it.” ~Dakota Hindman

“This class made me realize that I do have a big impact on our earth, and at the beginning of this class it was not a positive impact…Everyone goes through life thinking that using one thing won’t make a big difference, but when we all think that way there is a snowball effect…If I can encourage my friends and family to take some of the action I have I know that we can live in a healthier world. Also simply taking an interest in other environmental issues and raising awareness about it can create a happier world. When interacting with others in a positive manner it creates a happier environment in class. Accepting everyone because of their differences helps you learn about others and have a wider variety of knowledge and bigger friend circle. Being positive and staying green helps the earth and our community. I will keep going with my studies about the earth and keeping happy.”~Liz Schweber

“CAP was an amazing class, I learned lots of things. the things I learned will carry out in my life to come. I am going to be able to teach my fellow peers about important things that matter to this world, and I learned it all at school. I made new friendships that are really close now and I learned how to be an asset and a leader in the community. I wish that all students in the country were as lucky as I am and could take this class. If every student took this class our climate change situation would have a positive turn for the better.” ~Olivia Henry-Corell