An Intergenerational Family Camping Experience Gave Young Leaders the Chance to Share their Skills, Connect with their Families, and Grow Together Written by Sara Grillo, CAP Instructor & Events Coordinator. After spending the past few weeks learning how to camp, leading a backyard overnight for younger kids, and putting their new outdoor skills into action,… Read more »
Cooper’s Leadership Journey from Participant to Instructor to Rookie of the Year with Cottonwood Began in 8th-Grade Written by Erin Angel, Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. Calling Cooper a “rookie” doesn’t quite fit! Although this is his first year as a Cottonwood Institute instructor, his journey with us began in 8th grade as a… 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 »
Cottonwood Institute Instructors Discuss Student Leadership and the Value of Connecting with Nature on Fox31 Denver’s Colorado Conversations Written by CI Instructor and Communications & Administrative Coordinator Lori Powell. Sometimes the class you never planned to take ends up changing your life. That was the case for Cottonwood Institute alum Iona Kelly, who recently joined… Read more »
More Than 100 Participants Gathered to Learn Traditional Skills, Connect with Nature, and Strengthen Community Connections. Written by Kira Gilliland, Changemaker Alum. Over the past couple of years, our Ancestral Skills Gathering has had a meaningful impact within our small community. This year, however, we wanted to make it even bigger and better. The 3rd… Read more »
Career Bloom Event Helped Young People Explore Career Opportunities Written by Erin Angel, CI Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. Our 2026 Partners In the Outdoors Career Day, called Career Bloom, lived up to its name, bringing opportunity, and community to help young people explore their futures. Planned in partnership with Environmental Learning for Kids,… Read more »
Join Us for Our 3rd Annual Ancestral Skills Gathering on April 25, 2026! Written by Erin Angel, CI Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. On a bright fall day, students from our Changemakers Outdoor Leadership Corps were waiting for a shuttle during a backpacking trip in the Rockies. To pass the time, their instructor taught… Read more »
A Day of Service, Gratitude, and Community Rooted in Social Justice and Collective Action Written by Erin Angel, CI Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Cottonwood alumni, Changemakers, and family members came together to turn inspiration into action. Nine of us gathered at Denver’s City Park to listen… Read more »
A Night of Habitat Restoration Work Became a Tribute to Chelsea’s Time at Cottonwood. Written by New Vista CAP Instructor Lori Powell. Cottonwood staff, instructors, board members, Changemaker students, and Alumni recently gathered on an unseasonably warm November evening to take action for local habitat restoration—and to share a heartfelt farewell to Associate Director Chelsea… Read more »
