At Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Students Enjoyed Fishing, Stargazing, Adapting to Changing Weather, and Being “Unplugged” While Overnight Camping Written by CI CAP Instructor & Social Media Coordinator Harmony Esqueda. Longmont Youth Center (LYC) students eagerly arrived the morning of our camping trip. We circled up for some icebreaker games and everyone kissed their… Read more »
From Discovering Macroinvertebrates to Sharing One Final Meal Together, CHSC students Wrapped Up the Year with Water Quality Investigations and Play Outdoors Written by CI Field Instructor Blaise Miles. Some of the best days don’t need a schedule packed with activities to be unforgettable — they just need good company, a river, and a few… Read more »
Follow One Student’s Day-by-Day Recap of Their 2026 Changemakers Capstone Outdoor Adventure Written by Changemaker (and Ripple Effect Award-winning) student Kay Young. At the end of each year, Changemakers has one last week-long trip. Some years the trip is only for fun, some years it ties into our Action Project—this year it was half and… Read more »
Through Climbing, Fishing, and Exploring Colorado’s Parks, Nature-Based Learning Gave Students Hands-On Opportunities to Discover, Connect, and Grow. Written by Cottonwood Institute Field Instructor Carly Winner. Over two field days with two groups from Sims-Fayola, one younger group and one older group, we spent time climbing, fishing, exploring, and enjoying the outdoors together. Nature-based learning… Read more »
After Building New Outdoor Skills, Teens Put Youth Leadership into Action by Planning and Leading a Backyard Overnight to Inspire the Next Generation of Campers Recently, our Casa de la Esperanza teens spent two days putting their newly developed camping skills to the test. They paddled across a windy lake, cooked meals from scratch, slept… Read more »
The Casa Teen Outdoor Leadership Experience Helped Participants Build Confidence, Strengthen Friendships, and Prepare to Mentor the Next Generation of Campers For the past few days, our group of Casa de la Esperanza teens has been getting ready for our camping adventure. We spent our time getting to know each other even better (no small… Read more »
From Archery and Camp Cooking to Leave No Trace, Horizon Students Embraced First-Time Camping While Building Outdoor Skills, Strengthening Friendships, and Creating Lasting Memories Ten sixth-grade students from Horizons at Colorado Academy set off on an unforgettable two-day adventure to Staunton State Park and Serenity in the Foothills Campground, where they showed off their archery… Read more »
An Afternoon of Art, Storytelling, and Community Showcased Colorado 14er Landscapes While Raising Funds for Students’ Outdoor Adventures On June 17, Cottonwood Institute was honored to celebrate the Colorado 14ers watercolor artwork of local artist Mike Wilson at a reception at the Colorado State Capitol alongside community members, supporters, and the artist himself. About the… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute Instructors Discuss Student Leadership and the Value of Connecting with Nature on Fox31 Denver’s Colorado Conversations Written by CI Instructor and Communications & Administrative Coordinator Lori Powell. Sometimes the class you never planned to take ends up changing your life. That was the case for Cottonwood Institute alum Iona Kelly, who recently joined… Read more »
From Learning the 10 Essentials to Fishing and Unforgettable Games, DMLK Middle School Students Built Skills and Confidence During their Outdoor Adventure Written by CI Field Instructor Blaise Miles. On our recent camping trip with DMLK Middle School, students had the chance to build outdoor skills, challenge themselves, and make memories surrounded by mountain views… Read more »
