From Fire-Making to Folklore, AXL 7th Grade Students Experience the Magic of their First Time Camping. Written by AXL CAP Instructor Harmony Esqueda. AXL Academy 7th graders prepped nervously leading up to their overnight CAP trip, asking many questions about tents, wildlife, trip location, etc. We practiced how to set up tents in class and students… Read more »
AXL Students Appreciate Opportunities for “Turning Over a New Leaf” During their Overnight Camping Trip at Cheley. Written by CI Field Instructor Monique Murillo. Stirring with nervous excitement, Ms. Esqueda’s AXL Academy 8th-grade CAP class students gathered around to prepare for their overnight trip, checking gear and playing a few games in front of the… Read more »
AXL 7th Graders Get Hands-On with Skulls, Skins, and Pond Critters at Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Written by CI Field Instructor Shawn Heyland. The plan for Ms. E’s 7th-grade AXL trip was to head out into nearby nature to learn about wildlife in a fun, engaging way. We visited Golden Gate Canyon State Park… Read more »
From Anxious First Steps to Triumphant High-Fives, AXL 8th Graders Discovered their Inner Strength on the Vertical Rock. Written by CI Field Instructor Shawn Heyland. Rock climbing isn’t for the faint of heart, and Ms. E’s 8th-grade AXL CAP class showed up at school on Friday with bravery and resilience. The goal for the day… Read more »
On Saturday, July 26th, McGregor Square was buzzing with energy, friendly competition, and community connection as we gathered for the 2025 Cottonwood Throwdown, our annual cornhole tournament and fundraiser to support Cottonwood Institute students. With breakfast drinks in hand and the boards set, it was the perfect summer day to show up, play hard, and… Read more »
AXL Academy Middle Schoolers Enjoyed a Spring Trimester full of Fishing, Planting, Creating, and Adventuring! Written by AXL Academy CAP Instructor Harmony Esqueda. AXL Academy 7th graders started the spring trimester by practicing survival skills and learning all about safety in the outdoors. In teams, students competed in “CAP Camp Olympics” where they learned how… Read more »
Windy and Snowy Conditions Punctuated the Overnight Trip to Cheley for the AXL 8th Graders. Written by CI Field Instructor David Goldsmith. On a windy Thursday morning, AXL Academy 8th graders met once again, but this time, for their last CAP overnight before migrating to high school. Before setting off in the caravan to Cheley… 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 »
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 »
Snowshoeing Facilitated Outdoor Learning in the Deep Snow at Cal-Wood. Written by AXL CAP Instructor Harmony Esqueda. AXL Academy 7th graders spent their winter Community Adventure Program (CAP) overnight trip at Cal-Wood Education Center in Jamestown, Colorado. The trip was off to a rocky start when the vans got stuck in a patch of snow… Read more »
