The Cottonwood Institute put together an incredible Environmental Leadership Summit for Johnson & Wales University Community Leadership Institute students on February 4th, 2011 at the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado in downtown Denver. Facilitated by Ford Church and Paige Doughty and students from New Vista High School’s environmental club called the Earth Task Force, the day… Read more »
The Community Adventure Program hit the road last weekend for their first winter camping overnight. With the use of a 15-passenger van we were able to seek out the snow for some winter activities, despite the warm temperatures. The 10 students, 2 student leaders and 2 Cottonwood Institute Instructors had a great time bonding as… Read more »
As we set out for our annual Winter Staff Training, the snow flakes dumping in the cold mountain air, the excitement of Cottonwood Institute’s staff was hard to miss. Veterans and rookie instructors alike came together to learn about patience, compassion, and survival in the snow. Brainard Lake Recreation area provided the ideal location for… Read more »
Another quarter of the Community Adventure Program has come to a close, but we inspired another all-star group of outdoor enthusiasts as well as old and new environmentally minded students. We had tons of fun on the overnights bonding with this small group. The weather was unseasonably warm for December camping and, while we talked… Read more »
If ‘change the world’ means bringing a positive change to some corner of the globe– affecting the lives of one, ten, a hundred, or a thousand people, then, in my opinion, the answer is yes. -David Bornstein, author of How to Change the World. As we reflect on another amazing year at the Cottonwood Institute,… Read more »
Community Adventure Program (CAP) students unleashed their inner worker bee this quarter to create a great two-pronged Action Project that focused on honey bees and cold-frames. Based on early class discussions, the plight of the honey bee was a hot topic within this group, which was duly noted. However, they just couldn’t let go of… Read more »
The Earth Task Force held their S.U.P.E.R. Summit (Students Understanding Personal Environmental Responsibility) on November 11th, 2010 at Casey Middle School. The Summit attracted over 70 participants and eight different school groups committed to creating environmental change within their high schools and larger community. Throughout the day the students discussed sustainability goals that have already… Read more »
In previous years, the Earth Task Force has designated certain months as “alternative transportation” months. During this time we encouraged students and faculty to alternatively transport themselves to and from school. As an incentive, we recorded participation and invited those who participated frequently to a pizza party where we held a raffle. This year, because… Read more »
People often ask me about the impact that Cottonwood Institute programs are having and I am reminded of a quote by Paul Loeb that we share with students at the end of our programs: “We never know how the impact of our actions may ripple out. We never know who may be touched. That’s one… Read more »
After a wildly successful inaugural year, the Cottonwood Institute‘s Earth Task Force at New Vista High School is taking on a new challenge this year to host Boulder Valley School District‘s first student-directed environmental summit called Students Understanding Personal Environmental Responsibility, also known as the S.U.P.E.R. Summit. High school students and teachers from all over… Read more »
