Making Seed Bombs and Organizing a Bake Sale Provided a Valuable Hands-On Learning Experience. Written by Angevine Middle School CAP Instructor Sara Grillo. This spring, our Angevine Middle School CAP students set out to support wildlife — and found creative, hands-on ways to do just that. Through seed bombs and a student-led bake sale, they… Read more »
Under blue skies and the shade of towering cottonwoods, Cottonwood Institute alumni and Changemaker students teamed up to host our second annual Cottonwood Ancestral Skills Gathering at Ollin Farms—a day full of hands-on learning, cultural connection, and community building. Inspired by the success of our student-led gathering last year, our alumni invited participants to reconnect… Read more »
In a world where broken gear often means buying new, Changemaker students decided to take a different approach: repair, reuse, and keep it out of the landfill. As part of their spring action project, our Changemakers tackled two big issues in the outdoor industry—waste and accessibility. Outdoor gear isn’t cheap, and when it breaks, it’s… Read more »
Archery, Fishing, Games and a Campfire Were Highlights of the Overnight Trip. Written by AXL Academy CAP Instructor Harmony Esqueda. AXL Academy 7th grade CAP students eagerly gathered on the morning of their overnight to kick off our trip with archery. We headed out on the road to get to Staunton State Park early for… Read more »
We are thrilled to thank the Xcel Energy Foundation for their generous support of another transformative year of the Cottonwood Institute’s Community Adventure Program (CAP) Class! Thanks to their continued investment, students from Angevine Middle School and Centaurus High School in Lafayette, New Vista High School in Boulder, and AXL Academy in Aurora were able… Read more »
Cheley Outpost provided a solid base camp for Angevine Middle School students to learn outdoor skills and explore the natural surroundings. Written by CI Field Instructor David Goldsmith. After weeks of planning and learning in the classroom, Angevine Middle School’s CAP class set out for their overnight expedition at Cheley Outpost. We unloaded upon arrival… Read more »
Multiple Downpours Added to the Experience as Centaurus High School Students Embraced Two Rainy Days of Adventure. Written by Senior CAP Instructor Erin Angel. Anxiously watching weather models as the date for the Centaurus High School CAP trip drew near, the prospect of camping and driving in 12 inches of snow led us to make… Read more »
Written by Sara Grillo. Summer is just around the corner and Cottonwood Institute is gearing up for a season full of fun, community, and impact! Whether you’re into live music, golf, cornhole, or just kicking back with a cold beverage for a good cause, there’s something for everyone this summer. Join us for these exciting… Read more »
Fire-building Skills Proved Useful During a Chilly Spring Fishing Adventure. Written by AXL Academy CAP Instructor Harmony Esqueda. AXL Academy 8th graders in CAP class gathered on a frigid early Friday morning to head out on our fishing adventure. We piled in the vans for our hour-long drive to Colorado Youth Outdoors in Fort Collins…. Read more »
Digging in the Dirt Allowed New Vista High School Students the Opportunity to Connect with the Earth and Each Other. Written by CI Field Instructor Kelsi Massengale. On a bright and sunny Friday morning, students from New Vista High School’s CAP class prepared for their field day with a bit of hacky-sack outside the school… Read more »
