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Westwood CAP Field Day at Garfield Lake Park

The Community Adventure Program (CAP) students at STRIVE Prep – Westwood were so excited about their upcoming overnight camping trip that they just couldn’t wait to spend a day outdoors! Cottonwood was happy to accommodate this request by scheduling a day trip at a local park. On April 9th, four students, two instructors, and a STRIVE teacher spent six… Read more »

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CAP Students Living in the Moment

Snug as a bug, students packed in among backpacks and gear, eager to see what awaited them on their new adventure.  This last weekend the Community Adventure Program (CAP) of New Vista High School headed to beautiful Cal-wood Education Center near Jamestown, CO.  They were met with snowy hilltops and sunshine bright enough to create lots of rosy sun-kissed cheeks…. Read more »

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6th Annual Sustainability Summit with Johnson & Wales University

Cottonwood Institute and Johnson & Wales University Student Government Association teamed up once again to host the 6th Annual Sustainability Summit at The Alliance Center in Downtown Denver. Despite the snow and icy roads, the day started off with an exciting presentation from Sonrisa Lucero, Sustainability Strategist from the City of Denver’s Office of Sustainability…. Read more »

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Cottonwood Institute Welcomes Sarah Rudeen

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 »

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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 »

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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 »

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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 »

Donovan Cordova

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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 »

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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 »