Cottonwood Institute (CI) is celebrating some much-needed additional support by welcoming Sarah Rudeen. Sarah is a passionate educator and lover of all things outdoors and has mad skills to help the CI team thrive. Sarah is excited to help support CI behind the scenes to help get our programs up and running, help with our… Read more »
Posts By: Ford Church
Registration Open For The 2016 Base Camp Bash
Get ready to live folks! Registration is now open for the Base Camp Bash on Saturday, April 23rd, 2016 from 5pm – 9pm at the Posner Center in Denver, CO. The Base Camp Bash is not your typical boring fundraising event. Your taste buds will be tantalized with amazing food from Snooze, Cake Crumbs, and… Read more »
KIPP Montbello Students Trekkin’ it on Snowshoes
Have you ever experienced the full potential of what nature can offer? Students at KIPP Montbello Collegiate High School, as part of the Cottonwood Institute’s Community Adventure Program, were able to experience nature up close and personal when they took a snowshoe trip to the mountains at Caribou Ranch. As the bus arrived in the parking lot,… Read more »
Fire Fury and Snow Flurries with STRIVE Prep – Excel
The act of making a fire connects us back to our ancestors of more than 100,000 years ago. Huddling around a fire for warmth, sustenance and community is something that too few of us get to experience in our modern world. But on a snowy day at the end of January, in a sheltered grove… Read more »
Volunteer Spotlight: Donovan Cordova
Cottonwood Institute recently had the opportunity to reconnect with rock star volunteer, Donovan Cordova, to find out what he has been up to: Tell us about yourself, where you are from, and what you are up to these days: I am from Pueblo, Colorado and a huge fanatic of volunteering in the community for over… Read more »
STRIVE Prep Sunnyside’s Upcycled Art Project
The Middle School students at STRIVE Prep – Sunnyside are creative visionaries. Their interests in art, writing and self-expression have allowed them to cultivate an authentic experience through the Cottonwood Institute’s Community Adventure Program at their school during fall of 2015. After spending several weeks on team-building initiatives, nature awareness activities, and an exciting overnight camping trip… Read more »
Best of 2015 Video: Watch. Give. Share.
2015 was an action-packed year, overflowing with student adventures! We are excited to share our “Best of 2015 Video” to give you a glimpse into the wonderful experiences we provided thanks to our generous donors. Students were empowered to change their world and their communities one step at a time. This student sums it up well,… Read more »
Top 10 Inspiring Stories From 2015
It’s been another incredible year and we are excited to announce Cottonwood Institute’s annual top 10 inspiring stories from 2015. Thanks to all who voted on our Cottonwood Institute Facebook Page! So what were our students up to this year? Check it out: Cottonwood Institute Programs Have Life-Changing Impact Cottonwood Institute Partners With Great Outdoors… Read more »
Evaluation Report 2015: Cottonwood Institute Programs Have Life-Changing Impact
Cottonwood Institute (CI) is wrapping up another phenomenal programming year and is excited to report about the life-changing impact its programs are having on its students. Thanks to a generous grant, CI was able to work with Maggie Miller Consulting to help improve CI’s evaluation methods, measure progress towards its short-term outcomes, and share program… Read more »
CAP Class Saves a Drop, Saves a Liter, Saves the World!
Setting out from New Vista High School on our overnight trips with the Community Adventure Program (CAP) this quarter, the weather wavered between clear and sunny and cool and rainy. It was officially the last hints of summer and the start of fall fully setting in. The energy was high, as students of all different… Read more »