Three Trees and a River Project

The Three Trees and a River Project is a series of field trips, overnight camping trips, and Action Projects for schools and youth organizations designed to connect students to the outdoors, to raise an awareness of water issues affecting Colorado, and to help them understand the importance of native trees to the Colorado ecosystem.

Each project includes 5 days of programming spread throughout the school year:

• 1-Day World Water Monitoring Day field trip with Front Range Earth Force along the South Platte River in Denver to get students outside of the classroom, raise their awareness of local water issues, and offer specific solutions they can do to help prevent water pollution.
• 2-Day Essential Survival Skills Overnight Camping Trip in the fall to practice the skills necessary to comfortably and competently explore the outdoors, learn about 3 native trees in Colorado and how they can use them to survive, and to develop leadership, teambuilding, and communication skills.
• 2-Day Native Tree Planting Project, Overnight Camping Trip, and Rafting Trip in the spring to complete a 1-day service project with the Garden Club of Denver and the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield to help plant 3 native trees, learn how planting native trees can minimize water use in Colorado, camp out under the stars, and complete a 1/2 day rafting trip on the South Platte River with City Wild to reconnect students to the importance of solving water issues in Colorado, and to celebrate their accomplishments throughout the year.

Our Three Trees and a River Project is an excellent example of how nonprofit organizations, schools, and youth organizations can collaborate together to deliver an inspiring program that empowers students to help protect and preserve the environment and inspire them to become life-long environmental stewards.

We would like to thank all of our partners, especially: the REI Denver Flagship Store, Front Range Earth Force,  Gilpin E-8 Montessori School, the Garden Club of Denver, Denver Botanic Gardens, and City Wild for piloting and funding this project.

If you would like to learn more about this project or if you have a group interested in participating next year, please contact Ford Church at 303.447.1076. To support this project, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today by Clicking Here!

Cesar Chavez Organic Gardening Project

We are excited to launch a new course in 2010 called the Organic Gardening Project. During this project, we will camp out under the stars for 3 nights and 4 days at a local organic farm in the Colorado Front Range.

In the mornings we will explore our new surroundings, practice nature awareness activities, and practice essential camping and wilderness survival skills to connect to the land and to learn how to comfortably and competently explore the outdoors. We will also practice leadership and team building skills, explore diverse leadership styles, and learn more about the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez.

In the afternoons, we will learn about sustainable agriculture, organic farming, and we will complete a series of Action Projects to practice these skills and to give back to the land. We will end the course with a final celebration by cooking a local, organic meal for our organic farm hosts to practice some of the core values of Cesar Chavez, including: respect for the environment, service to others, and celebrating the community.

Finally, in exchange for their service work, students will receive plants or seeds to plant their own organic garden at their home or at their organization to help feed and nourish their family or their community. The Cottonwood Institute will continue to be a resource for students after their course to help them implement their gardening projects.

Check out our video:

To implement this project, we are excited to partner with I Have A Dream Foundation serving low-income, at-risk youth in Boulder County, Urban Peak serving homeless youth in Denver, Inner City Outings serving inner city youth in Denver, Colorado Youth At Risk serving at-risk youth in Denver, Front Range Earth Force and Peace Jam serving diverse youth leaders in the Colorado Front Range.

A special thanks goes out to the Community Foundation Serving Boulder County and their Youth Leadership Development grant as well as all of the individual donors that are making these projects possible. To support this project, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today by Clicking Here!

Hebrew High School

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Stores For Students

To help gear up for your Cottonwood Institute, we have included a list of online stores to help you buy the equipment and books you will need and to help book your travel reservations. By supporting our partners, you will support our educational programs and scholarship fund!

- REI is a cooperative business that has been very supportive of the Cottonwood Institute through financial contributions and gear donations. REI.com sells quality gear, clothing and footwear for outdoor recreation. All products are backed by a 100% guarantee. REI.com customers can enjoy free shipping to any of REI’s 60+ stores nationwide. A percentage of your purchase will help support our educational programs at public schools in the Boulder/Denver area.

- Indie Bookstore is an online family of independent booksellers. When you buy a book or gift card through Indie Bookstore, you have the comfort knowing that you are
supporting local independent bookstores in your community. Please visit the Recommended Books section and support our educational programs at public schools in the Boulder/Denver area.

- Orbitz
is a one stop shop to make your travel arrangements to participate in a
Cottonwood Institute course. Search for the lowest airline fares, book
a hotel, and even rent a car through Orbitz! A percentage of your
purchase will be donated to support our educational programs at public schools in the Boulder/Denver area.

- Kodak EasyShare Gallery
let’s you create photo albums to share with your friends and family,
purchase professional quality prints, and make cool things like photo
albums, photo mugs, and t-shirts. After completing your Cottonwood
Institute course, check our Photo Album link to purchase photos from
your course. Remember, a percentage of your purchase will be donated to
support our educational programs at public schools in the Boulder/Denver area.

CI Merchandise

Welcome to the Cottonwood Institute Store where you can shop with a conscience! We have partnered with amazing organizations to set up an online store so our students can get the gear they need for our courses and visitors can shop for the holidays, birthdays, and special occasions. Everyone can feel great about their purchases because when you shop by clicking on the links below, a percentage of your sale goes to help underwrite our educational programs at public schools in the Boulder/Denver area. So go crazy and shop till you drop! Best of all, shipping is free!

OFFICIAL COTTONWOOD INSTITUTE SURVIVAL KIT:

Official Cottonwood Institute Survival Kit: Each survival kit includes A Survival Kit Manual describing how to use each item, a custom embroidered survival kit nylon bag, a 4.5” Frosts Mora survival knife, a trash bag, an emergency blanket, 25-feet of parachute cord, a lighter, strike anywhere matches, a fire striker, petroleum cotton balls, a metal cup, water purification tablets, a whistle, and a signal mirror. Price: $75.00. Free Shipping Included!. Please Note: All net proceeds from the sale of our Survival Kits go to help underwrite our educational programs at public schools in the Boulder/Denver area. To order your official Cottonwood Institute Survival Kit, call 303.447.1076.

OFFICIAL COTTONWOOD INSTITUTE SURVIVAL KNIFE:

Official Cottonwood Institute Survival Knife: There are thousands of knives on the market, but no knife compares to the Frosts Mora Clipper. This is a full-tang carbon steel blade making it the perfect survival knife at a very affordable price. Carbon steel is easier to sharpen and maintain than stainless steel. It may rust in wet or humid conditions, but it will not compromise the integrity of the steel and is easily removed with steel wool. This knife is the best bang for your buck and is field tested and highly recommended by the Cottonwood Institute. Price: $25.00 each. Free Shipping Included!. Please Note: All net proceeds from the sale of our Survival Knives will go to help underwrite our educational programs at public schools in the Boulder/Denver area. To order your official Cottonwood Institute Survival Knife, call 303.447.1076.

COTTONWOOD INSTITUTE’S COLORADO TIMBERLINE EMBROIDERED VEST:

Cottonwood Institute Colorado Timberline Embroidered Vest: Our stylish black microfiber vest is made of 100% polyester shell and 100% nylon lining. Our 4-pocket vest has the following features: abrasion reinforced and water repellent shoulders, heavy weight anti pill fleece, drawcord hem for warmth, durable and warm without the weight. Each vest is embroidered with the subtle, yet familiar Cottonwood Institute logo. A great gift to past CAP and course students and participants. Price: $50.00 each. Free Shipping Included! We currently have sizes: XS - S - M - L and we have noticed that these sizes run about a size too big. For example, size S fits like size M. Please Note: All net proceeds from the sale of our Cottonwood Institute Vests will go to help underwrite our educational programs at public schools in the Denver/Boulder area. To order your official Cottonwood Institute Colorado Timberline Vest call 303.447.1076.

COTTONWOOD INSTITUTE’S LONG SLEEVE EMBROIDERED T-SHIRT:

Official Cottonwood Institute Long Sleeve Embroidered T-Shirt: Our stylish gray long sleeve t-shirt is made of pre-shrunk 100% cotton. This is the perfect companion to any backpack while in the back country. We choose gray because of the wear-ability and longevity for showing continued wear while on week-long excursions. Each long sleeve t-shirt is embroidered with the subtle, yet familiar Cottonwood Institute logo. A great gift to past CAP and course students and participants. Price: $25.00 each. Free Shipping Included!. We currently have sizes: S - M - L - XL. Please Note: All net proceeds from the sale of our Long Sleeve T-Shirts will go to help underwrite our educational programs at public schools in the Denver/Boulder area. To order your official Cottonwood Institute Long Sleeve T-Shirt call 303.447.1076.

GoodShop

Now you can shop online and support the Cottonwood Institute! By clicking on the links below, you can knock out all of your shopping for holidays, birthdays, and special occasions:

GoodShop - Now you can shop for just about anything through GoodSearch.com. Enjoy shopping online with companies like: J. Crew, Banana Republic, Nordstrom, Gap, Macy’s, Old Navy, Amazon.com, and more! The Cottonwood Institute will receive an average of 2-5% or more for each purchase and all donations will be used to help support our educational programs. Make sure “Cottonwood Institute” is selected under the section that says “Who Do You GoodSearch For?” and shop till you drop!

- iTunes

Everyone deserves music and with accessibility to over 1 million songs you can’t go wrong with iTunes. iTunes gift certificates are a perfect gift for music lovers of all ages. A percentage of your purchase will be donated to support our educational programs at public schools in the Boulder/Denver area, so rock out!

Send Out Cards - The Cottonwood Institute uses Send Out Cards to stay in contact with our alumni and we highly recommend this service to anyone who is looking for an easy way to stay in touch with business clients, friends, and family. You can send a personalized card in less than 60 seconds and Send Out Cards will print, stuff, and mail your card for less than the cost of buying a greeting card at the store. Never forget a birthday or anniversary again and effortlessly keep in touch with your network. Click on the banner or link above to send a free card and try it for yourself!

Recommended Books

Cottonwood Institute educational programs address a variety of topics including essential camping and wilderness survival skills, environmental education, and changing the world. We have had several requests for book recommendations, so we have compiled the following list that we have in our library. We recommend buying your books through a company called Book Sense, an online family of independent booksellers. When you purchase a book from this list, a percentage of your sale will be donated to help underwrite our public school educational programs in the Boulder/Denver area. Click on the link below, enter your zip code, and choose your favorite local independent bookstore!

ESSENTIAL CAMPING AND WILDERNESS SURVIVAL SKILLS:

• 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive!, by Cody Lundin
• Backpacker’s Field Manual: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Backcountry Skills, by Rick Curtis
• Bush Craft, by Mors Kochanski
• Earth Knack: Stone Age Skills for the 21st Century, by Bart and Robin Blankenship
• Primitive Technology: A Book of Earth Skills, Edited by David Wescott
• Survive! Essential Skills and Tactics to Get You Out of Anywhere - Alive, by Les Stroud
• Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wilderness Survival, by Tom Brown, Jr.
• When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Survive when Disaster Strikes, by Cody Lundin

ENVIRONMENT:

• Earth in Mind, by David orr
• Earth Speaks, by Steve Van Matre and Bill Weiler
• Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, by Gregory Tilford
• Fire on the Mountain: The True Story of the South Canyon Fire, by John MacLean
• Land Above the Trees: A Guide to American Alpine Tundra, by Ann H. Zwinger and Beatrice E. Willard.
• Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, by Richard Louv
• Plants of the Rocky Mountains, by Kershaw, MacKinnon, and Pojar
• Scats and Tracks of the Rocky Mountains, by James Halfpenny
• Snow Sense, by Jill Fredston and Doug Fesler
• Vicious: Wolves and Men in America, by Jon Coleman

CHANGING THE WORLD:

• Better Together: Restoring the American Community, by Robert Putnam
• Better World Handbook, by Jones, Haenfler, and Johnson
• Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, by Robert Putnam
• Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, by Jared Diamond
• Cradle to Cradle: Redesigning the way we Make Things, by McDonough and Braungart
• Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying, by David Bach
• Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time, by Paul Rogat Loeb
• Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, by Malcolm Gladwell

Statement of the Problem

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

The Cottonwood Institute addresses 4 primary problems in the community:

Civic Engagement:

Problem: “While volunteerism has been increasing among young people, civic engagement has been declining.” Source: RMC Research Corporation. Civic engagement has been declining because many youth have a negative perception of volunteering and community service.

Solution: Cottonwood Institute courses make service fun through our award-winning, student-directed environmental service-learning curriculum that inspires students to change the world!

Nature Deficit Disorder:

Problem: “The term ‘nature-deficit disorder’ was coined by author Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods to describe what happens to young people who become disconnected from their natural world. Louv links this lack of nature to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as the rises in obesity, attention disorders, and depression.” Source: No Child Left Inside.

Solution: Cottonwood Institute courses teach students how to comfortably and competently explore the outdoors by teaching environmental education and wilderness survival skills.

Narrowing Curriculum:

Problem: “Many school districts have significantly reduced the amount of class time spent on such subjects as social studies and science. Many teachers and parents also report that field trips and time devoted to outdoor learning activities have been cut to give more time to tested subjects.” Source: No Child Left Inside.

Solution: The Cottonwood Institute makes our engaging programs accessible to public schools by providing the curriculum, professional instructors, equipment, and outside funding from generous individuals, businesses, and grants.

Childhood Obesity:

Problem: “Obesity in kids is now epidemic in the United States. The number of children who are overweight has doubled in the last two to three decades; currently one child in five is overweight. The increase is in both children and adolescents, and in all age, race and gender groups.” Source: National Institute of Health.

Solution: Cottonwood Institute courses make the outdoors accessible through hikes, field trips, and overnight camping trips throughout the year.

To make a tax-deductible contribution to the Cottonwood Institute, please Click Here or mail a check made payable to Cottonwood Institute: PO Box 7067, Denver, CO 80207.

Articles

MEDIA ARTICLES AND RADIO SHOWS:

• Community Adventure Program Alumni at New Vista High School formed a student-directed club called the Earth Task Force to reduce their school’s environmental footprint. Hear what they had to say on the Dot Org Show with Nikki Kayser on KGNU 88.5FM by Clicking Here.
• Vanessa Miller, from the Boulder Daily Camera, wrote about New Vista High School’s Earth Task Force, initiated by Community Adventure Program Alumni on November 29, 2009. To download the full article, Click Here.
• Scott Franz, from the Boulder Daily Camera, wrote a Student Spotlight article for Tzuria Malpica, a Community Adventure Program Alumnus from New Vista High School, on November 7, 2009. To download the spotlight, Click Here.
• Denise Plante, from Colorado & Company, interviewed Ford Church about survival tips on September 3, 2009.
• Patrick Doyle, a writer for 5280 Magazine in Denver, wrote the Colorado Survival Guide in the March 2009 issue and featured the Cottonwood Institute an our Official Survival Kit. To download a copy of the article, Click Here.
• Robbie Knight from 99.5FM The Mountain posted a Podcast on her Green Report on January 23, 2009. To hear the full podcast, scroll down to 1/23/09 and click PODCAST - Ford Church of the Cottonwood Institute.
• Doug McPherson, from DU Today wrote an article about Ford Church and the Cottonwood Institute on January 23, 2009. To read the full article, Click Here.
• Will Shoemaker with the Gunnison Country Times wrote an article called “Winter Survival 101″ on January 8, 2009. To download a copy of the article, Click Here.
• Katie Kelley, a freelance writer in Denver, CO, recently posted an article on the Colorado Travel Examiner called “Man Vs. Wild: Surviving Colorado’s Wilderness on November 28, 2008. To read the full article, Click Here.
• Eric Paulsen, from WWL-TV in New Orleans, LA, recently interviewed Cottonwood Institute founder and executive director to educate people about how they can reduce their environmental footprint. To stream the video online, Click Here.
• Jennifer Bronson, Staff Writer for the Daily Camera, wrote an article about the Spring 2008 New Vista High School CAP Action Project called “Students Get Dirty In Lafayette Learning About Locally Grown Food” on Wednesday, May 7, 2008. To download a copy of the article, Click Here.
• The Cottonwood Institute was interviewed by Entercom Radio’s wonderful and environmentally conscious Jill West during her Colorado Today Public Affairs radio show on Sunday, May 4th, 2008. Please Click Here to play the podcast!
• Debra Goldyn, a freelance writer for the Colorado Daily, wrote an article about the Cottonwood Institute and the Community Adventure Program called Rocky Mountain High on Sunday, March 2, 2008. To download a copy of the article, Click Here.
• The Daily Camera in Boulder, CO featured the Cottonwood Institute in their Nonprofit Spotlight section on Monday, February 1, 2008. To download a copy of the article, Click Here.
• On Tuesday, December 18, 2007, Ward Lucas from 9News interviewed Ford Church, Founder and Executive Director of the Cottonwood Institute, on the 10:00pm news about how to put together a survival kit for your car. To watch the segment, Click Here.
• Carol Conzelman with Boulder’s premiere community radio station KGNU 88.5 FM interviewed Ford Church, Founder and Executive Director of the Cottonwood Institute, on Wednesday, December 12, 2007. To listen to the 3 minute segment, Click Here.
• The Cottonwood Institute Survival Skills Clinics gained attention in a Campus Press article that appeared on December 4, 2007 called Making Sense Of Survival by Anya Semenoff.
• Nicole Danna from the Colorado Daily wrote an article called It’s In The Bag about the Community Adventure Program’s environmental service project at P.S.1 Charter School in Denver, CO.
• Community Adventure Program students at New Vista High School were recognized in an article by Amy Bounds from the Daily Camera for their environmental service project to build a greenhouse. The article appeared on October 7, 2007 and it is called New Vista Builds Greenhouse.

• Steve Spangler, 9News Science Guy, invited Ford Church to teach him friction fire on the 4:00pm news. To view the segment online and check out the lesson plan, Click Here.
• Paula Pant, Your Town Correspondent for the Colorado Daily, wrote an article about the Community Adventure Program called Students Studying Streams: Teens Tackle Pollution in Boulder Creek, which appeared on May 15, 2006.
• Joanna Allerhand, Daily Camera Staff Writer, wrote an article about the Community Adventure Program’s 4-Days in May Action Project addressing water pollution with her May 7, 2006 article called Students Seek Cleaner Creek.
• Ford Church, Founder and Executive Director of the Cottonwood Institute, was interviewed by Host Richard Mauro on the KRFC 88.9 FM radio show Transparent Settlement. To download the show in an MP3 format, Click Here.
• An article about Cottonwood Institute’s affiliate marketing program appeared in the business section of the Daily Camera on January 9, 2006 called Applying Business Lessons: Non-Profits Implement Private Sector Strategies to Support Themselves, by Kathleen Jones.
• Students in the 1st Quarter, 2005 Community Adventure Program wrote an article called My Hero Zero - High School Students Promote Zero Waste!, written by Gillan Warren, Community Adventure Program Student, edited by Ford Church, Cottonwood Institute Founder and Executive Director.
• An article about the Cottonwood Institute appeared in the Spring 2005 issue of Transitions, the Prescott College alumni magazine, called Program Blends Adventure, Service, by Sten Carlson.
• The Cottonwood Institute was featured in the Boulder Daily Camera on April 5, 2005 called Classes Use Nature to Teach Teens, by Aimee Heckel.
• The Cottonwood Institute was mentioned in an on-line article that appeared on March 28, 2005 called Craigslist: A Community with a Conscience, by Arin Hailey.
• The Cottonwood Institute was mentioned in the Denver Post on March 1, 2005 in an article called Survival of the Warmest, by Jack Cox.
• The Community Adventure Program was featured in the Boulder Daily Camera on December 21, 2003 in an article called Boulder Outdoorsman Creates Buzz With Adventure Program, by Chris Barge.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ford Church, M. A., Founder and Executive Director
Phone: 303.447.1076
Email: Click Here.

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