WHAT IS IT? #Giving Tuesday is here and today officially kicks off the giving season! Hopefully you survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but this is a day dedicated to charities and for giving back. WHAT FOR? Between now and December 31, 2014, Cottonwood Institute is committed to raising $20,000 to meet our annual giving… Read more »
CAP CAP is an award-winning enrichment class offered during the school day for academic credit. During CAP, students go on hikes, overnight camping trips, learn about and discuss local environmental issues, choose an issue to address as a class, and collaborate with other local organizations to design and implement a student-directed Action Project to positively… Read more »
In mid-May, students from STRIVE Prep Sunnyside and Green Valley Ranch campuses enjoyed one of the first sunny and warm weekends of the spring. Students from both campuses came together for a fun-filled and adventurous overnight camping trip as part of their respective mini-CAP classes with Cottonwood Institute. Early on Saturday morning, they headed to… Read more »
It has been a fantastic year for the Learning Gardens at New Vista High School! The action packed year was filled with student-initiated and implemented garden projects. There were many opportunities for students to engage with and learn in the garden during academic classes and Gardening Workshops. Students learned about gardening in Colorado and practiced… Read more »
The 2014 Base Camp Bash was an incredible success for the Cottonwood Institute. We raised critical funds for our programs, met some amazing supporters, and celebrated the impact our students are having in the community. One way we honor our students is through our annual Ripple Effect Awards. The Ripple Effect Award is given each… Read more »
The Cottonwood Institute is proud to be one of thirteen local nonprofits selected to participate in the Chase Community Giving Program at Denver Startup Week for a chance to win $25,000! If you are registered for Denver Startup Week from September 16 – 20th, 2013, here are a few reasons you should cast your only… Read more »
Connections with people, animals, and nature once again brought Cottonwood Institute and Mission: Wolf (M:W) together. During the month of May, Cottonwood Institute delivered two incredible courses for Littleton Academy, serving nearly 50 students. M:W is located near the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountain range just outside of Westcliffe, Colorado. It is a wolf sanctuary… Read more »
On April 20th at the Base Camp Bash, Cottonwood Institute awarded Camille Lauer with the 2013 Ripple Effect Award! The Ripple Effect Award is awarded to an outstanding Cottonwood Institute student each year. Local artist Bryan Buikema created the beautiful award piece, which will be displayed at the recipient’s school each year. Below, take a… Read more »
We’ve had an exciting quarter in CAP so far, filled with hikes, camping, and guest speakers. During the first two weeks of the quarter, we spent many classes navigating miles of trails that traverse the hills just minutes from New Vista High School at Boulder Mountain Park. While learning ecology, minimum impact hiking, and sensory… Read more »
As we transition into fall and relish the cooler temperatures and vibrant fall color change in Colorado, our Operation: Military Kids Adventure Overnight youth and Adult Survival Overnight participants united for one amazing weekend survival program. Cottonwood Institute loves offering our Operation: Military Kids programs because it is our chance to give back to military… Read more »