Our Calwood camping trip was a new fun experience for everyone. Through the cold days and nights we enjoyed hiking, exploring the mica cave, learning how to filter stream water, playing camouflage, and cooking together. Here is what some of the STRIVE Prep -RISE CAP students had to say about their first trip: “My favorite part… Read more »
Recently, a group of twenty-two freshmen from STRIVE Prep – RISE headed up past Allenspark to the Cheley Outpost. For most of them, this was their first camping trip ever. The weather was bright and the aspens were at their peak for a beautiful fall weekend. The students enjoyed the challenge of setting up their tents in the… Read more »
Many people wonder how Action Projects with Cottonwood Institute work and what makes them so powerful. The key is the students. The students have to be invested in the topic and really care about the outcome in order for the projects to not just be another course requirement when many students already feel overwhelmed with coursework. How… Read more »
STRIVE Prep – Montbello middle school had just let out for the summer, but the following day nine students, two of their teachers, and three Cottonwood Institute instructors loaded up in vans and headed out to meet the wolves. There were feelings of fear, excitement, and curiosity being exchanged during the drive to Mission: Wolf, a gorgeous and isolated retreat in… Read more »
It was a clear, sunny day when twelve STRIVE Prep – Sunnyside students embarked on a journey into the Sangre de Cristo mountains. They had one clear mission: to meet and learn about wolves in the remote mountain sanctuary aptly named Mission: Wolf. The group had bountiful energy and enthusiasm; their four hour drive to the site… Read more »
It all started out a week before our trip. During class we went outside and had a 10 Hiking Essentials Relay Race, with each team racing toward a pile of random supplies and stuffing items inside. Points were awarded for speed and relevance of the items that ended up in the packs. (Do you really… Read more »
The Community Adventure Program (CAP) students at STRIVE Prep – Westwood were so excited about their upcoming overnight camping trip that they just couldn’t wait to spend a day outdoors! Cottonwood was happy to accommodate this request by scheduling a day trip at a local park. On April 9th, four students, two instructors, and a STRIVE teacher spent six… Read more »
Endangered Wolves and Animal Tracking This spring, we will facilitate our Endangered Wolves and Animal Tracking Program to students from Littleton Academy, Logan School, Colorado Academy, and STRIVE Preparatory Charter Schools. As part of the program, students will camp out for nearly a week at Mission:Wolf, a wolf refuge located in south central Colorado, to… Read more »
Within the first couple weeks of their Cottonwood Institute Mini-CAP class, students at STRIVE Prep Excel decided they were frustrated with the closed system of food in their community. They saw heaps of wasted food and food scraps and started to cultivate a passion and motivation to tackle this issue. Their first step was to… Read more »
We are wrapping up another incredible programming year with the Cottonwood Institute and have been blown away by the students we have served and the Action Projects they have taken on to improve their schools, the community, and the environment. In 2012, we served over 375 youth, logged over 15,000 program contact hours, and recorded… Read more »
