AXL Academy Students Unplugged, Explored Fall Foliage, and Connected with Nature During their Wellness Day of Outdoor Fun Written by Hannah Posedel, AXL Academy CAP Instructor. For AXL Academy’s second-ever Wellness Day, Cottonwood Institute and students took a Fall adventure to Staunton State Park. A beautiful park at 8,000 feet of elevation, we got to… Read more »
Colorado High School Charter (CHSC) Students Built Community and Shed Pretenses on their Staunton Camping Trip, Displaying a Childlike Wonder for the Natural World Written by CI Field Instructor Blaise Miles. We started the Staunton State Park overnight camping trip with archery – the perfect activity for a rainy and moody morning. We all loved… Read more »
From Learning to Cast to Catching Crawdads, AXL Academy Students Got Hands-on Fishing Education with a Side of Aquatic Discovery Written by Monique Murillo, CI Field Instructor. After arriving at Chatfield State Park, the first activity of the day was this group of AXL Academy students was fishing. Students learned about the different parts of… Read more »
Our Headlamp Highlights Shine a Light on the People and Organizations that Help our Cottonwood Community Thrive. Meet Board Member D’Andre. We are excited to highlight our Cottonwood Institute (CI) Board Member, D’Andre Curtis, who previously served on the CI Board and is now back with us again. Read on to learn more about D’Andre! Introduce… Read more »
AXL Academy 7th Graders Dive into Creek Exploration, Discover Macroinvertebrates, and Gain Outdoor Skills During their Canyon Adventure Written by AXL Academy CAP Instructor Hannah Posedel. On Friday, September 4th, the AXL Academy 7th grade Community Adventure Program (CAP) class had their field day at Castlewood Canyon. Each student owned responsibility and leadership on this… Read more »
In our Staff Spotlight, We Introduce Cottonwood Staff Members who Help Run our Outdoor Programs. Get to know Hannah Posedel (she/her), our CAP Instructor at AXL Academy! With outdoor experiences in the Great Lakes, Appalachia, and the High Sierra Mountains in addition to Colorado, Hannah brings a wide variety of skills and experiences to her… Read more »
We are so, so excited to share our Impact Report 2025-2026 and reflect on all that we accomplished this past year. Here’s a quick story from the report: On a warm Spring evening this past May, one of our students from Angevine Middle School in Lafayette, CO climbed to the top of a large hill… Read more »
The Perseids Meteor Shower Prompted an Alumni Gathering Full of Commaraderie and Conversation about Dark Skies, Light Pollution, and the Value of Seeing the Stars Written by CI Alum and Assistant Instructor Elizabeth Fero. On the night of August 12th, Cottonwood Alumni gathered at Lefthand Trail in Longmont to watch the annual Perseids meteor shower…. Read more »
Former AXL Academy CAP Students Gathered as an Alumni Community for the First Time to Enjoy an Afternoon of Fishing in Aurora Written by Hannah Posedel, AXL Academy CAP Instructor. Cottonwood Institute launched their first ever Alumni event for AXL Academy Community Adventure Program (CAP) students at Jewel Wetlands Park in Aurora in early August… Read more »
Students Explored Wildfire Impacts, Built Community, and Got Hands-On with Wildfire Education During a Three-Day Adventure with Horizons at Colorado Academy Written by Sara Grillo, CAP Instructor & Events Coordinator. Our three-day, two-night adventure with Horizons at Colorado Academy focused on wildfires, a particularly relevant topic this summer as fires continue to impact communities across… Read more »
