Just before school let out for the summer, 11 adventurous girls from Colorado Academy set out on a final mission: wolves. On a warm spring day in May, although the van was stuffed full of fuzzy pillows, makeup bags, and iPods, it was the adventurous spirit of these girls that filled the air with confidence,… Read more »
Whether you are camping out for a weekend or climbing to the top of Longs Peak, surviving in the wilderness can be an empowering, humbling, and enriching experience. However not many people in this day and age choose to spend their lives relying only on what the natural landscape has to offer. Yet that’s exactly… Read more »
Although the students from Logan School in Denver were eager to go, it was the teachers that were ready to jump out of their skin from the excitement of the upcoming trip. All 24 of us – including 19 rambunctious and highly energized 8 and 9 year olds – loaded into our caravan of vehicles… Read more »
During a rainy weekend in May, the Cottonwood Institute teamed up with students from West Denver Preparatory Charter School and their teacher, Leigh Garrison, for a spring overnight course at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield. This course concluded the extensive Three Trees and a River Project, in which students participated in a water testing field… Read more »
On April 9th, 2011 the Cottonwood Institute made the trek to Divide, Colorado to join Welcome Home Warrior for their annual retreat to give back to those in the military who have spent time abroad. Families had a chance to reunite, relax, and learn some new skills. Not only did Cottonwood Institute teach hands-on survival… Read more »
We experienced a new twist in the evolution of the Operation: Military Kids Essential Survival Skills course – family participation! 10 folks from 4 families, converged at the Colorado Lions Camp to challenge their carnivorous and cooperative edges. We learned about survival priorities, wild edibles, sustainable harvesting, camp craft, fire craft, stalking and wilderness walking…. Read more »
The Cottonwood Institute and the Garden Club of Denver teamed up with an amazing group of curious sixth graders from West Denver Preparatory Charter School for a service-learning trip to Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield. It was a beautiful sunny day and our mission was to plant cottonwood tree whips for re-planting later in the… Read more »
To help launch the Cottonwood Institute‘s year-long Three Trees and a River Project, a group of adventurous 6th graders from West Denver Prep braved the cool mountain air for a special fall weekend camping trip. Despite the fact that many students had never been camping before, they jumped right in to an action packed weekend… Read more »
The local fire ban didn’t stop this crew of weekend wilderness warriors from igniting a passion for the outdoors. Cottonwood Institute instructors, Darren Silver, Jason Lawrence, and Aleyna Porreca delivered an action-packed course for children and parents of military families through a collaboration with Operation Military Kids and Colorado Lions Camp. A fine mix of fun… Read more »
Not many people intentionally choose to give up their weekends to get up before sunrise to sling rock and help rebuild trail on 14,000 foot peaks. But that is just what heroic Cottonwood Institute volunteers chose to do this summer when they signed up for our Mt. Evans Volunteer Project. “The wake up call felt… Read more »
