The Cottonwood Institute put together an incredible Environmental Leadership Summit for Johnson & Wales University Community Leadership Institute students on February 4th, 2011 at the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado in downtown Denver. Facilitated by Ford Church and Paige Doughty and students from New Vista High School’s environmental club called the Earth Task Force, the day… Read more »
Posts By: Ford Church
Winter Staff Training Snowing With Excitement
As we set out for our annual Winter Staff Training, the snow flakes dumping in the cold mountain air, the excitement of Cottonwood Institute’s staff was hard to miss. Veterans and rookie instructors alike came together to learn about patience, compassion, and survival in the snow. Brainard Lake Recreation area provided the ideal location for… Read more »
Top 10 Stories That Helped Change The World In 2010
If ‘change the world’ means bringing a positive change to some corner of the globe– affecting the lives of one, ten, a hundred, or a thousand people, then, in my opinion, the answer is yes. -David Bornstein, author of How to Change the World. As we reflect on another amazing year at the Cottonwood Institute,… Read more »
S.U.P.E.R. Summit Was Stupendous
The Earth Task Force held their S.U.P.E.R. Summit (Students Understanding Personal Environmental Responsibility) on November 11th, 2010 at Casey Middle School. The Summit attracted over 70 participants and eight different school groups committed to creating environmental change within their high schools and larger community. Throughout the day the students discussed sustainability goals that have already… Read more »
Transportation Transformation
In previous years, the Earth Task Force has designated certain months as “alternative transportation” months. During this time we encouraged students and faculty to alternatively transport themselves to and from school. As an incentive, we recorded participation and invited those who participated frequently to a pizza party where we held a raffle. This year, because… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute’s Impact Ripples Out In 2010
People often ask me about the impact that Cottonwood Institute programs are having and I am reminded of a quote by Paul Loeb that we share with students at the end of our programs: “We never know how the impact of our actions may ripple out. We never know who may be touched. That’s one… Read more »
Earth Task Force Hosts S.U.P.E.R. Summit
After a wildly successful inaugural year, the Cottonwood Institute‘s Earth Task Force at New Vista High School is taking on a new challenge this year to host Boulder Valley School District‘s first student-directed environmental summit called Students Understanding Personal Environmental Responsibility, also known as the S.U.P.E.R. Summit. High school students and teachers from all over… Read more »
West Denver Prep Students Embark On A New Adventure
To help launch the Cottonwood Institute‘s year-long Three Trees and a River Project, a group of adventurous 6th graders from West Denver Prep braved the cool mountain air for a special fall weekend camping trip. Despite the fact that many students had never been camping before, they jumped right in to an action packed weekend… Read more »
Operation Military Kids Course Ignites Passion For The Outdoors
The local fire ban didn’t stop this crew of weekend wilderness warriors from igniting a passion for the outdoors. Cottonwood Institute instructors, Darren Silver, Jason Lawrence, and Aleyna Porreca delivered an action-packed course for children and parents of military families through a collaboration with Operation Military Kids and Colorado Lions Camp. A fine mix of fun… Read more »
Volunteers Wake Up Before Sunrise To Help Rebuild 14,000 Foot Peak
Not many people intentionally choose to give up their weekends to get up before sunrise to sling rock and help rebuild trail on 14,000 foot peaks. But that is just what heroic Cottonwood Institute volunteers chose to do this summer when they signed up for our Mt. Evans Volunteer Project. “The wake up call felt… Read more »
