Get to know Sadie Norton (she/her), who has been a field instructor with Cottonwood Institute since the winter of 2021-22! Sadie brings light and warmth into every space (indoor or outdoor) she enters, and developed her love of experiential education at the Kent State University Outdoor Adventure Center, YMCA Camp Fitch, Outward Bound, NOLS, and… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute would like to give an enormous shoutout to Ryan Feaster of Realty ONE Group Five Star for hosting the fifth annual Harvard Gulch Tournament in 2022! We had over 96 participants come out in teams of four on the par 3 course. Throughout the 9 holes, the teams were greeted with fun games and… Read more »
We are so excited to formally welcome Tucker Knight (they/them) to the CI team! Tucker has been field instructing with us since the summer, and they are teaching CAP Class at STRIVE Prep Westwood this fall. Tucker brings a range of experiences to the team, from working one-on-one with students last school year, to creating… Read more »
Beats on the Creek 2022 was a highlight of the summer for many of those in downtown Denver. Presented by Coohills Restaurant for five Tuesdays this summer, live music was held on the pedestrian bridge at Speer Boulevard and Wewatta Street. All proceeds from the event this year support Cottonwood Institute’s programming in middle and… Read more »
In 2022, Cottonwood Institute (CI) received not just one, but TWO awards from the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE)! Our Changemaker Program was selected to receive a 2022 Innovative Environmental Education Program Award! The Awards Selection Committee announced that they are very impressed with the caliber of the work taking place through this program,… Read more »
Written by Program Relationships Manager Teagan Papke. “Almost 20 years later, I have been getting hit hard with the deep realization of how important the lessons that I learned through the Community Adventure Program (CAP) really were. I realize now how so many humans really don’t understand the ideas of basic survival, Leave No Trace,… Read more »
Global Climbing Day 2022 with Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK), Black Girls Climb, Movement Gyms, and The North Face. Written by CI Instructor Carly Winner. Did you know that August 20th is Global Climbing Day? Started in 2017, Global Climbing Day is a celebration of the climbing community and the opportunities we find in every… Read more »
Written by Curriculum Manager Chelsea Tossing (Escrito en español más abajo) We don’t know about you, but here at CI it’s certainly hard to believe we’re nearing the end of the summer months! As we crest into the end of the summer program season and start of the school year, we wanted to take a moment… Read more »
Escrito en español más abajo. Written by Cottonwood Institute alum Kira Gilliland. Cottonwood Institute’s flagship program, the Community Adventure Program (CAP), has been at Centaurus High School in Lafayette, CO since 2017. More recently, Cottonwood created Changemakers, a high school leadership program for alumni of our Boulder County programs. The Changemakers program gives about ten… Read more »
For the first time in two years, Cottonwood Institute held our one and only Throwdown in 2022 – a cornhole tournament that throws down and lives up to its name! This year’s event at McGregor Square in Denver was a raging success. Competition was strong amongst the players, side games were a hoot, and our… Read more »
