From fire-building contests to fishing expeditions, these students embraced the wonders of the great outdoors at Cheley. – Written by Eeland Stribling, Cottonwood Institute Field Instructor Under the vast Colorado sky, a group of excited 7th grade students recently embarked on an unforgettable overnight adventure at Cheley. As the crisp mountain air filled their lungs,… Read more »
On a beautiful fall day at Staunton State Park in Pine, CO, Centaurus High School students spent an unforgettable Field Day at the Archery Range with Colorado Parks and Wildlife Volunteers. Not only did everybody learn how to do archery… they also learned how to say “bow” (arco) and “arrow” (flecha) in a second language!… Read more »
AXL Academy 8th Graders Explore, Learn, and Make Memories on Unforgettable Adventure. Written by CI Field Instructor Caroline Paul. That’s a wrap on another great year of Community Adventure Program (CAP) Class at Aurora’s Expeditionary Learning Academy (AXL)! The 8th graders took their final camping trip before their big high school graduation, which was certainly… Read more »
No Tents, No Problem! Angevine Middle School Makes Memories on Action-Packed Day Trips. Written by CI Field Instructor Hailey Schmidt Last month, Angevine Middle School students were disappointed to hear that their overnight trip had been switched to two day trips due to excessively cold weather predicted for the night of their May campout. However,… Read more »
New Vista High School CAP Class Ignites Action! Written by CAP Instructor Sadie Norton. Wildfire Preparedness: Is Your Home Ready? Take the Test! The Prelude: This quarter’s CAP Class had quite the learning journey this Spring. Throughout the quarter, we spent time connecting to nature, gaining an appreciation for the beauty in the world around… Read more »
Students Encounter Wildlife, Build Shelters, and Learn Valuable Outdoor Skills on a Memorable Camping Trip. Written by Instructor M Tormasi. Earlier in April, Cottonwood Institute had the wonderful opportunity to take New Vista High School students camping just 25 minutes northwest of their school. Throughout the trip, many students stepped into leadership roles, facilitating team-building… Read more »
Coyote or Kangaroo Rat: New Vista CAP Students Experience the Thrill of the Hunt (and the Joy of Play) at Betasso Preserve Field Day. Written by Instructor Amy Atkins. Do you ever wonder what it feels like to be a kangaroo rat? (Maybe right now, your brain took a hard right detour, and you are… Read more »
From Survival Skills to Community Impact: A Journey of Growth and Connection at RiseUp Community High School. Written by Logistics Manager Maeve O’Meara. This January, in the heart of Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, RiseUp Community High School welcomed Cottonwood Institute to offer students a unique opportunity for growth and connection. For the first time ever,… Read more »
Written by Senior Cottonwood Field Instructor, Amy Kopkin Atkins Thermoregulation, the process of staying warm when it’s cold outside, may sound complex, but it’s definitely not rocket science… It’s more like biology. Outside Heat Source The “go to” way to stay warm in winter is an outside (meaning out of the body) heat source. Things… Read more »
Written by Senior Cottonwood Field Instructor, Amy Kopkin Atkins It is both intuitive and well known that spending time outdoors is a healthy anecdote to the mental and physical health issues that arise when one spends too much time on a screen. It’s another thing to see it in action. As Cottonwood CAP and… Read more »
