STRIVE Prep -Westwood CAP students visited Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park for their winter field day this year. Situated at 9000’ and still partially covered in ice with snow around its perimeter, this mountain lake was a wintry retreat from the city! What a contrast from Garfield Lake, the local lake in the Westwood… Read more »
There are many signs of early spring in March in the Front Range. As we anticipate more snow in the mountains, crocuses emerge in town, the days start lengthen, and lakes begin to thaw. Cottonwood Institute (CI) spring instructor training indicates the shift in season. CI instructors transition from winter field-days to spring overnights next… Read more »
On a warm winter day in February, the second trimester AXL Academy CAP class set out to find peace on their first overnight trip together to Bear Creek Lake Park. The students were buzzing with excitement all morning to be headed out on a field trip, missing a day of school, and sleeping in cabins…. Read more »
We recently caught up with Chandra Galbiati Thomas, a rock star CAP Alumni from the early days of Cottonwood Institute at New Vista High School. See what she’s been up to since her high schools days romping in the outdoors! “I currently live in New York City, working as a software engineer for Peloton. One doesn’t usually… Read more »
Though the snow was sparse, STRIVE Prep – RISE CAP students had a fun winter adventure at Mud Lake Open Space. We started the day by struggling to put on snow pants, extra layers, and snowshoes, which was an entertaining experience for all. When we arrived at our destination, we packed up our sled, grabbed… Read more »
On a cold Saturday morning in late January, Centaurus High School CAP class students and instructors headed up a winding road through Nederland to Brainard Lake Recreation Area. Our sense of foreboding grew as we saw mountain tops blown free of snow and the trees bending to the wind’s will. We opened the doors to the… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute (CI) programs at New Vista High School have seen a few changes lately as student interest has shifted. The great thing about CI’s student directed programming is that it can shift with the students so their passions still lead the way! Below are descriptions of two new groups forming and getting projects underway… Read more »
When I share my Angevine Middle School CAP class student action project topic with people, the first question I hear is, “How did these kids come up with this?” You see, the topic is alternative proteins, and that includes entomophagy – or including insects and arthropods as part of the diet. That is a hard… Read more »
The CAP class at STRIVE Prep – RISE worked on two action projects this semester. One group worked on raising awareness on declining pollinator populations and the other group continued the solar power project from last semester. Those in the “bee group” made posters to hang up around school, describing what is happening to bee… Read more »
The average person uses a plastic bag for only about 12 minutes, then that plastic is doomed to roam the earth forever. People think they are going to recycle the bag, but really only about 1 percent of those bags are recycled. Beyond that, plastic is not able to be recycled infinitely, it can only… Read more »
