Students from AXL Academy who chose the Community Adventure Program (CAP) class as their elective this fall trimester embarked on their first field trip last Friday. Only a week prior, they were meeting one another for the first time. All 15 students in the class loaded up in the vehicles and headed northwest for Boulder…. Read more »
Entering high school is a major moment of transition in the life of a student. But at Big Picture College and Career Academy, high school is just one part of…well, you know. That’s why they partnered with Cottonwood Institute (CI) to design a day of custom programming, to acclimate their new Freshmen to the Big… Read more »
On August 28, 2019, Cottonwood Institute‘s (CI) hard work was recognized when it won the coveted ColoradoBiz Magazine Top Company Award in the nonprofit category. According to Ford Church, CI’s Founder and Executive Director, “kids today are spending 50 hours per week in front of some screen or device, soon they will be asked… Read more »
Summertime in Denver is not complete without Cottonwood Institute’s Annual Throwdown charity cornhole tournament at Union Station. Union Station, originally built in 1881, burned down in 1894, and re-created in 1914, while historical, was previously only known as a train depot. (Really, there were passenger trains in and out of Denver?) Now, not only does… Read more »
For some students, one semester of CAP class with Cottonwood Institute just isn’t enough. And could you blame them? Connecting with the outdoors, learning critical 21st-century skills, effecting meaningful change in their communities—what’s not to love? And for a certain devoted subset of those students, like Leo Canner, even two semesters of CAP only serve… Read more »
“Circles? We don’t need circles!” Given that Cottonwood Institute instructors and students spend a good deal of time in a circle, this was an interesting unofficial mantra for the Colorado Academy/Cottonwood Institute Summer Camp trip to Mission: Wolf. Mission: Wolf (M:W), though run by volunteers and well-strategized plans, feels like it operates on magic. Tucked… Read more »
Beats on the Creek has become a summertime staple in downtown Denver, bringing people together on the banks of Cherry Creek to enjoy food, drinks, and free live music, all to support local nonprofits! This year’s concert series, presented by Coohills Restaurant, is extra special because all proceeds from the event support Cottonwood Institute… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute is excited to announce a special van “Fun Drive” Campaign. Our goal is to raise $30,000 to acquire a 15-passenger van to help connect more students to nature! It is a well known fact that transportation is a big barrier for getting more students outside and connected to nature. For the past 15… Read more »
The students from Casa de la Esperanza experienced a lot of new things this summer. For most of them, their camping trip with Cottonwood Institute in Rocky Mountain National Park was their first time camping or hiking. For some of these middle schoolers, it was their first time spending the night away from home. And… Read more »
What a semester! With five CAP classes, 16 field excursions, and more than 100 students served, Spring 2019 was one of our busiest yet. From taking their frigid first steps on winter Field Days to making incredible strides to improve their communities in their Action Projects, Cottonwood Institute students have achieved so much this year…. Read more »
