Two students who have successfully built a small fire

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Help Unlock A $25,000 Match

Escrito en español más abajo. Giving Tuesday and Colorado Gives Day are right around the corner, and we wanted to share an incredible way to maximize your impact with Cottonwood Institute: Help us unlock a $25,000 match by December 31st from four generous families!  To unlock the match, Join The Seedling Monthly Giving Program or… Read more »

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Share the New Cottonwood Institute Video!

We are excited for you to see the New Cottonwood Institute Video! Hear from Cottonwood students, staff, and board members on why are programs are so different and so impactful for middle and high schoolers. Thank you to Eric Einstein for your work on this video with us. Want to help us spread the good… Read more »

An AXL student at Long View at Cal-wood.

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Year In Review 2022

Year in Review 2022: After another hike around the sun, it is time to reflect on what Cottonwood Institute accomplished this past 2021 – 22 school year, the challenges we faced, and our vision for the future. Accomplishments: Programming: It was a wildly busy school year emerging from lock downs and pandemic curveballs. Despite a… Read more »

Our field instructors

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The Annual Cottonwood Happy Hour Was Back In 2022!

Cottonwood Institute’s annual Happy Hour came back in 2022! The event brought staff, instructors, board members, donors, sponsors, and program partners together for a night of fun. We are so grateful to Jon Underkofler and AllianceBernstein for hosting us this year at their new gorgeous downtown offices. Click here for more photos from the event!… Read more »

Global Climbing Day 2022

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Global Climbing Day 2022

Global Climbing Day 2022 with Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK), Black Girls Climb, Movement Gyms, and The North Face. Written by CI Instructor Carly Winner.  Did you know that August 20th is Global Climbing Day? Started in 2017, Global Climbing Day is a celebration of the climbing community and the opportunities we find in every… Read more »

AMS spring 2022 overnight

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Spring 2022 CAP Class Impact Report

Written by Curriculum Manager Chelsea Tossing (Escrito en español más abajo) We don’t know about you, but here at CI it’s certainly hard to believe we’re nearing the end of the summer months! As we crest into the end of the summer program season and start of the school year, we wanted to take a moment… Read more »

A student caught a fish!

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Cottonwood Receives Xcel Energy Foundation Grant

Cottonwood Institute is grateful to receive a $15,000 grant from Xcel Energy Foundation for the second year in a row! This gift will help support our CAP Classes at AXL Academy, Angevine Middle School, Centaurus High School, New Vista High School, and STRIVE Prep – Westwood during the 2022-23 school year. Because of the continuing… Read more »

Darrius Glapion Base Camp Bash Ripple Effect Award Winner 2022

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Base Camp Bash 2022 was Bodacious & Bustling!

With bluegrass music, craft cocktails, Yeti hats, cotton candy, Ripple Effect Awards, and so much more, the 2022 Base Camp Bash was definitely bodacious and bustling. The Base Camp Bash is the main fundraising event for Cottonwood Institute and raises approximately 20% of our annual operating budget – no pressure! Having said that, we are… Read more »

Happy students!

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Fall 2021 CAP Class Impact Report

Find out what students thought of CAP Class during fall 2021! Written by Curriculum Manager Chelsea Tossing (Escrito en español más abajo) Our 2021 CAP classes have wrapped, and it’s been an eventful semester here at CI! After COVID put a pause on our field experiences during the 2020-21 school year, we were thrilled to… Read more »