|

AXL Academy 8th Grade Field Day 

Written By Field Instructor, Caroline Paul The Aspens at Golden Gate Canyon State Park put on a show for AXL Academy’s 8th graders last week. The first field day of the school year kicked off with beautiful fall colors only 25 minutes west of Golden, CO. This 8th grade class is particularly special because 85%… Read more »

|

A Day in the Woods with Angevine Middle School

Written By Senior Field Instructor, Amy Kopkin Atkins As you can imagine, asking an 8th grader to part with their phone, is like asking a 3 year old to part from their favorite stuffie. They try denial, “Oh Miss, I didn’t bring it with me today,” or they try to appeal to a sense of… Read more »

NVHS Students mulching at Ollin Farms

|

Soaked Seeds of Change: New Vista Students’ Transformative Day at Ollin Farms

Written by Eeland Stribling, Cottonwood Institute Field Instructor When New Vista High School students stepped onto Ollin Farms for a Cottonwood Institute field day, they expected to learn about sustainable farming. What they didn’t expect was how a day of hands-on experiences would foster seeds of environmental stewardship and community connection. The day began with… Read more »

|

Stars, S’mores, and Survival Skills: An AXL Overnight Adventure at Cheley

From fire-building contests to fishing expeditions, these students embraced the wonders of the great outdoors at Cheley. – Written by Eeland Stribling, Cottonwood Institute Field Instructor Under the vast Colorado sky, a group of excited 7th grade students recently embarked on an unforgettable overnight adventure at Cheley. As the crisp mountain air filled their lungs,… Read more »

Ready, aim, fire! CHS at the Archery Range

|

Bullseye! Centaurus High School’s Archery Field Day

On a beautiful fall day at Staunton State Park in Pine, CO, Centaurus High School students spent an unforgettable Field Day at the Archery Range with Colorado Parks and Wildlife Volunteers. Not only did everybody learn how to do archery… they also learned how to say “bow” (arco) and “arrow” (flecha) in a second language!… Read more »

AXL Field Day full of discoveries!

|

Year In Review: Impact Report 2023-24

Looking back on the impact of our past school year of programming at Cottonwood Institute (August 2023-July 2024), we are overwhelmed by the life-changing experiences that were created for over 530 students. Across 12 Program Partners, 29 Programs were delivered where Instructors and students learned how to navigate the challenges of pushing themselves out of… Read more »

A Casa De La Esperanza teen views wildlife!

|

Cottonwood Institute 20th Birthday Campaign

Good News: Cottonwood Institute is celebrating its 20th birthday on September 27th, 2024 – Look out! Cottonwood has served over 7,185 students over the years breaking down barriers to connect more kids to nature and inspiring them to become changemakers in their communities. Challenge: Cottonwood had another outstanding programming year as highlighted in our Impact… Read more »

|

Golfing for a Good Cause: Harvard Gulch Golf Invitational

What can make a day spent playing golf at the Harvard Gulch Golf Invitational, surrounded by friends, raising money for a good cause more fun? Why, adding costumes, croquet mallets, hockey sticks, and prizes of course! This year’s Harvard Gulch Golf Invitational to benefit Cottonwood Institute was a fantastic success! Collectively we raised over $12,000… Read more »

AXL At The Throwdown, Charity Cornhole Tournament

|

Hot Temperatures and Hotter Throws at 2024 The Throwdown

On Saturday July 13th, 2024, 30 teams gathered downtown at McGregor Square to participate in Denver’s favorite Charity Cornhole Tournament, The Throwdown! With proceeds from the tournament going to supporting Cottonwood Institute’s CAP Class at AXL Academy in Aurora, the tournament gives teams a highlight their cornhole prowess, win epic prizes, and participate in an… Read more »

A Lincoln Hills Cares Watershed Program participant shows a little frog in their hand

|

Lincoln Hills Cares: Roaring Adventure and Lasting Impact

Growth, Discovery, and Community on the Colorado River. Written by CI Field Instructor Eeland Stribling. For the second year in a row, we had the pleasure of taking a group of students from Lincoln Hills Cares on an unforgettable adventure. While last year’s trip was fantastic, this year managed to top it in so many… Read more »

Cottonwood Institute
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.