A wave of violence and hatred against the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has ripped through California, New York, Georgia and across our country. Cottonwood Institute (CI) acknowledges the pain and suffering that AAPI community members have endured and continue to endure. We are in solidarity with them. Words and ideology matter; we… Read more »
When the Lafayette Stewardship Youth Corps first met at the Waneka Centennial Farm at the start of November, it seemed like the restoration project list had no end. While there is much work still to be done there, this group of hardworking interns made huge first steps (literally!) towards making this a functional space for… Read more »
“Awesome things happen when you get awesome people together.” -Ford Church If there were a guiding philosophy that underlies everything we do here at Cottonwood Institute, that might just be it; from students to instructors and partners to donors, this past year has only reinforced that CI’s strength truly lies in its people. So when… Read more »
For the first time, CAP class at AXL Academy has been offered as a yearlong elective, allowing students to dig deeper into environmental topics and issues specific to their community. CAP Instructor Katie Morton shared some reflections on the first two trimesters as her class moves into spring: In the last year, the words “unprecedented,”… Read more »
The collaborative Lafayette Stewardship Youth Corps, co-led by CI Instructor Adam Fedyski and Wildlands Restoration Volunteers Project Coordinator Jackie Curry, continues going strong throughout the winter months. While much of their time is spent on restoration and improvement projects for Lafayette Open Space, the interns also had opportunities to participate in two trainings, Leave No… Read more »
This past weekend, students from our Changemaker Program got off their screens (finally!) and into the field for a chilly Saturday afternoon of practicing primitive skills. “We’ll be lucky if they make a little smoke,” we told the land managers that had given us permission to teach bow drill fires at Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat…. Read more »
The Cottonwood Institute Happy Hour is getting a new look for 2021! Though we still can’t be together in person, this won’t be just another boring Zoom “happy” hour, oh no. This is an opportunity to connect with the amazing ecosystem of Cottonwood Institute program partners, celebrate each other’s success, and try out some brand… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute is excited to invite you to join The Seedling, our new monthly giving program. The Need: Public school students have shared that they feel isolated and alone, and that they are craving the meaning and purpose that CI programs provide. CI needs help raising critical funding to support our students and programs during… Read more »
The fall CAP class at Angevine Middle School was one of the more unusual in recent memory, shifting from online to in-person and back over just nine weeks. In spite of all the disruptions, students had the chance to build outdoor skills, develop a connection to the natural world, and make critical connections. One of… Read more »
Ah January—a time to reflect, set intentions, and cave on your New Year’s resolution by January 3rd. Wait, what? If you’ve ever failed at a New Year’s goal, you’re not alone; studies show that nearly 80% of resolutions get dropped by the end of the year. We all know that big sweeping changes are hard… Read more »
