Top 10 Inspiring Stories From 2011

Posted by & filed under Cottonwood Institute News.

2011 has been a phenomenal year filled with amazing accomplishments, awards, and inspiring stories about our students getting outdoors and taking action to make a difference in the community. Here are our top 10 favorite stories from 2011: 1. Earth Task Force Recognized for National Green Prize and Receives $10,000 Check! 2. Cottonwood Institute Wins… Read more »

Cottonwood Institute Impact Surges in 2011

Posted by & filed under Cottonwood Institute News.

As I reflect about the impact the Cottonwood Institute had this past year, I am delighted to see our impact surge in 2011. We do a lot more that just connect kids to the outdoors. In the words of one of our instructors Madeline Bachner, “Our courses are centered around cultivating direct action for positive… Read more »

Casa de la Esperanza Girls Gobble It Up!

Posted by & filed under Casa de la Esperanza.

Gobble! Gobble!  “I saw a turkey!”  That was all it took. If there were any reservations about hiking earlier in the day, those dissipated as soon as the girls eyed the turkey off in the distance. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it was only fitting to find wild turkeys on our first outing with… Read more »

Snowballs and Quinzhees with Lakewood High School!

Posted by & filed under Notes From The Field.

Picture this: The peaceful silence of snow-capped mountains towering above a vast blanket of white…WHOOOSH! The silence changes quickly into peals of laughter as 11 pairs of boot-donned feet trample quickly out of range of the next onslaught of snowballs. For Cottonwood Institute, an early snowfall doesn’t hinder survival courses; in fact, they just become… Read more »

Exploring the Wilds of the Colorado Mountains

Posted by & filed under STRIVE Prep.

From the wilds of the city to the wilds of the Colorado mountains, students from West Denver Prep’s Lake Campus embarked on a journey to learn how to survive amidst the chill of a fall weekend.  Cottonwood Institute teamed up with West Denver Prep’s enrichment program to give kids the opportunity to connect to the… Read more »

Reflective Fall Retreat for Earth Task Force

Posted by & filed under Earth Task Force.

On Friday October 7th, the members of Earth Task Force (ETF) headed up into the mountains for a fall retreat at The Highlands Camp and Retreat Center in Allenspark, Colorado. The trip was planned and facilitated by students and ETF mentors with borrowed gear and organizational help from The Cottonwood Institute to help them pursue… Read more »

Update – Earth Task Force Students WIN the Center for Resource Conservation’s Youth Conservation ReWard

Posted by & filed under Earth Task Force.

UPDATE – Breaking News – The Earth Task Force has WON the 2011 Center for Resource Conservation’s Youth Conservation ReWard! Congratulations goes out to ETF on a ReWard well deserved!  Keep up the strong work! ### Congratulations! The Earth Task Force’s Board of Super Heroes (BOSH) was chosen as a finalist for the Center for… Read more »