From Discovering Macroinvertebrates to Sharing One Final Meal Together, CHSC students Wrapped Up the Year with Water Quality Investigations and Play Outdoors Written by CI Field Instructor Blaise Miles. Some of the best days don’t need a schedule packed with activities to be unforgettable — they just need good company, a river, and a few… Read more »
Follow One Student’s Day-by-Day Recap of Their 2026 Changemakers Capstone Outdoor Adventure Written by Changemaker (and Ripple Effect Award-winning) student Kay Young. At the end of each year, Changemakers has one last week-long trip. Some years the trip is only for fun, some years it ties into our Action Project—this year it was half and… Read more »
Through Climbing, Fishing, and Exploring Colorado’s Parks, Nature-Based Learning Gave Students Hands-On Opportunities to Discover, Connect, and Grow. Written by Cottonwood Institute Field Instructor Carly Winner. Over two field days with two groups from Sims-Fayola, one younger group and one older group, we spent time climbing, fishing, exploring, and enjoying the outdoors together. Nature-based learning… Read more »
After Building New Outdoor Skills, Teens Put Youth Leadership into Action by Planning and Leading a Backyard Overnight to Inspire the Next Generation of Campers Recently, our Casa de la Esperanza teens spent two days putting their newly developed camping skills to the test. They paddled across a windy lake, cooked meals from scratch, slept… Read more »
The Casa Teen Outdoor Leadership Experience Helped Participants Build Confidence, Strengthen Friendships, and Prepare to Mentor the Next Generation of Campers For the past few days, our group of Casa de la Esperanza teens has been getting ready for our camping adventure. We spent our time getting to know each other even better (no small… Read more »
From Archery and Camp Cooking to Leave No Trace, Horizon Students Embraced First-Time Camping While Building Outdoor Skills, Strengthening Friendships, and Creating Lasting Memories Ten sixth-grade students from Horizons at Colorado Academy set off on an unforgettable two-day adventure to Staunton State Park and Serenity in the Foothills Campground, where they showed off their archery… Read more »
From Learning the 10 Essentials to Fishing and Unforgettable Games, DMLK Middle School Students Built Skills and Confidence During their Outdoor Adventure Written by CI Field Instructor Blaise Miles. On our recent camping trip with DMLK Middle School, students had the chance to build outdoor skills, challenge themselves, and make memories surrounded by mountain views… Read more »
Through State Park Outings and Overnight Camping Adventures, AXL Middle School Students Enjoyed a Trimester of Hands-On Experiences with Plants, Animals, and Planting Seeds of Change Written by AXL Academy CAP Instructor & Social Media Coordinator Harmony Esqueda. AXL Academy Middle Schoolers experienced a spring trimester full of adventure and life lessons, and an opportunity… Read more »
Student-Led Learning Allowed Angevine Middle School Students to Follow their Curiosity, Learn from Community Experts, and Create Lasting Environmental Change on their Campus Written by Angevine Middle School CAP Instructor Sara Grillo. This semester, students in the Community Adventure Program (CAP) at Angevine Middle School took ownership of their learning in a way that made… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute is Proud to Announce that We Have Been Awarded the Unique Distinction as a Colorado Water Education Exemplar for 2026! What is it? This distinction is given by the Colorado Watershed Assembly to recognize local programs that offer objectively exceptional education about Colorado’s water using the Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education. These… Read more »
