The Earth Task Force is a new program the Cottonwood Institute launched last year to give student who have completed our Community Adventure Program an opportunity to continue changing the world. Looking back on their accomplishments the past year, the Earth Task Force is unstoppable. With the support of Cottonwood Institute Earth Task Force Mentor,… Read more »
In CAP class, students learn to connect with nature – and each other. Written by Shira Nathan, Centaurus High School CAP Class Student and Co-Editor-in-Chief for The Warrior Scroll. Note: Some of the students interviewed speak Spanish as their first language. An English translation will be included alongside their responses. Students filter into class, chatting… 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 »
Tires, bottles, and buckets are some of the things AXL Academy students cleaned up! Written by Cottonwood Field Instructor Eeland Stribling As part of their CAP Action Project, AXL Academy students went looking for places to clean up near their school. The community does a great job at keeping parks and trails clean, and students… Read more »
From Shelter-Building and Fire-Starting to Taco Nights and Moose Sightings, AXL Students Dive Headfirst into a World of Outdoor Learning and Team-Building Fun! Written by CI Field Instructor Kira Taggart. See more photos here! After a two-hour drive from Aurora, AXL Academy students arrived at Cheley Outpost, their home for the next 24 hours. The… Read more »
Written by Instructor Carly Winner (Escrito en español más abajo) Cottonwood Institute is once again collaborating with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV), City of Lafayette Parks, Recreation, and Open Space, Thorne Nature Experience, and Nature Kids Lafayette on the Lafayette Youth Corps (LYC) program, which gives high schoolers an opportunity help to care for parks trails… Read more »
The CAP class at AXL Academy reinstated a sense of normalcy while celebrating the outdoors on a fun-filled spring day at Cherry Creek State Park. After a year of being cooped up at home and in the classroom, it was a blast to spend the day outside all together! The students started off with a… Read more »
Over fifteen years, the Cottonwood Institute community has grown and spread all over the world. You never know where you’ll bump into an alum, instructor, or other friendly face. Denver, of course, is a pretty good bet—and so it was when Executive Director Ford Church bumped in to CI alum Eric Wesolowski while out and… Read more »
We’ve reached the end of another year at Cottonwood Institute! 2019 was a big one for us (our fifteenth!), and we’re so proud of everything our students, instructors, volunteers, alumni, partners, and community members accomplished this year. Check out ten of our most inspiring stories from 2019 — we think you’ll be amazed! 10…. Read more »
STRIVE Prep — RISE sent their second group of freshmen out to Sylvan Dale Ranch last weekend for an orientation trip full of fun and adventure! The group had a chance to bond with friends and with the natural world while playing outside, learning about stars, and enjoying delicious meals and s’mores around the campfire…. Read more »
