Our Winter Training Brought Staff to Brainard Lake for Snow Shelters, Wilderness Medicine Scenarios, and Joyful Learning in Winter Conditions Written by CI Field Instructor Hailey Schmidt. Cottonwood Institute staff kicked off 2026 with a chilly and fun-filled winter training. Though the wintery weather has been lacking in the front range this season, we were… Read more »
A Day of Service, Gratitude, and Community Rooted in Social Justice and Collective Action Written by Erin Angel, CI Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Cottonwood alumni, Changemakers, and family members came together to turn inspiration into action. Nine of us gathered at Denver’s City Park to listen… Read more »
As the Year’s Shortest Day Arrived, Cottonwood Alumni Came Together for a Solstice Hike Rooted in Reflection and Connection Written by Erin Angel, CI Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. We gathered in the afternoon at Golden Gate Canyon State Park and began our solstice hike to Panorama Point, arriving just in time to watch… Read more »
While Many People were Recovering from Thanksgiving Dinner—or Braving Crowded Stores—Cottonwood Institute Alumni Chose a Different Kind of Black Friday Tradition: an Opt Outside Hike. Written by Erin Angel, CI Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. The day after Thanksgiving, Cottonwood alumni gathered in beautiful Eldorado Canyon for a hike, games, and time to simply… Read more »
Curiosity Guided Students from Classroom Questions to Real-World Action at Angevine During Fall Semester. Written by Angevine Middle School CAP Instructor Sara Grillo. As the semester wraps up, it’s fun to look back at just how much we fit into our time together during our Fall CAP class at Angevine Middle School. It was a… Read more »
A Local Park Became an Outdoor Classroom for the AXL 8th Graders to Embark on a Microplastics Hunt and Archery Skill-Building. Written by AXL CAP Instructor Harmony Esqueda. AXL Academy 8th graders eagerly set out on our short and sweet 15-minute journey from school to Cherry Creek State Park. There, we were greeted by the… Read more »
AXL Academy‘s Day of Service Learning Connected Students to Local Wildlife, Public Lands, and Community Impact. Written by Shawn Heyland, CI Field Instructor. AXL Academy 7th-grade CAP students recently had the opportunity to visit Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora for a day of service learning, archery, and fun. Not far from where the students… Read more »
Students Enjoyed a Day of Fishing, Birding, Playing, Relaxing, and Doing Service Work at Golden Ponds. Written by CI Senior Instructor Erin Angel. Lafayette Explore Outside (LEO) is a new program for us this year. A small group of middle school-age students meets twice a month, once for an evening workshop and once for an… Read more »
We Are All Changemakers; Knowingly or Unknowingly, the Effects of Our Actions Ripple out, Changing the World in Large and Small Ways Each Day. Written by AXL CAP Instructor Harmony Esqueda. Every year since 2013 at the Base Camp Bash, Cottonwood Institute has recognized students from our Community Adventure Program (CAP) classes who demonstrate leadership,… Read more »
The Taylor Mountain Trip Provided the Reminder that Sometimes All You Need is a Forest, a Fire, and Friends. Written by Erin Angel, Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. The Changemakers kicked off their fall backpacking trip to Taylor Mountain with a little unexpected mystery. On the hike to our campsite, we were checking out… Read more »
