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Angevine CAP Student Reflection — “A Wise First Step”

The fall CAP class at Angevine Middle School was one of the more unusual in recent memory, shifting from online to in-person and back over just nine weeks. In spite of all the disruptions, students had the chance to build outdoor skills, develop a connection to the natural world, and make critical connections. One of… Read more »

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CI Explore Outside Photo Challenge: January 2021

Ah January—a time to reflect, set intentions, and cave on your New Year’s resolution by January 3rd. Wait, what? If you’ve ever failed at a New Year’s goal, you’re not alone; studies show that nearly 80% of resolutions get dropped by the end of the year. We all know that big sweeping changes are hard… Read more »

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Centaurus Students Fight Powerlessness by Creating Change

So much has happened to high school students this year. During a time in life where they are supposed to be seeking out new opportunities and finding themselves, their wings have been clipped and they are stuck in the nest, disengaged from the world around them. So much change is happening in the world that… Read more »

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ALL Careers

Cottonwood Institute and ALL Careers Overview Cottonwood Institute connects students to the outdoors and inspires them to take action to improve their schools, the community, and the environment. We hope that many of our students will be inspired to continue making positive change long after they graduate from their CI program, whether they follow a… Read more »

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Students Take Action Through Art

Have you ever seen street art that stopped you in your tracks? A stunning photograph of a protester standing up to power? A video about the impacts of climate change that gave you chills? Art can transcend language and logic to tap into something deeply human. The raw emotion of artistic expression, when used to… Read more »

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Top 10 Inspiring Stories from 2020!

2020 has been a lot of things, and while “inspiring” may not be the first word that comes to mind, there were in fact many things to be inspired by in the world of Cottonwood Institute! Our instructors stepped up to the challenge of adapting their programs in a big way, and our students were… Read more »

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Staff Profile: Admin + Special Events Coordinator Vicki Whisenhunt

Vicki Whisenhunt wears many hats for Cottonwood Institute. As Administrative and Special Events Coordinator, Vicki provides critical support to CI programs and performs all the behind-the-scenes magic to make the Bash and our other events go off smoothly. She also serves as in-house aerialist, resident cat lover, and occasional mixologist for CI team events. Get… Read more »

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CI In The News (and on the Airwaves!)

We can understand if you’re looking for a break from the news after the last few weeks (or months…or year), but we know you don’t want to miss the latest updates from the world of Cottonwood Institute! With this in mind, we’ve helpfully collected these three recent updates—including, to our knowledge, CI Executive Director Ford… Read more »

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Staff Profile: Program Director Katie Vega

Just shy of her one-year anniversary with Cottonwood Institute, Program Director Katie Vega has already made her mark on this organization, spearheading the creation of multiple new programs and constantly evaluating the ways we can address the needs of the communities we serve. Get to know Katie (and her constant companion/relentless Zoombomber Penny) in our… Read more »

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Cottonwood Institute State of the Union 2020

With the US presidential election less than a week away — don’t worry, this is NOT a political post — I wanted to take an opportunity to share Cottonwood Institute‘s (CI) State of the Union in 2020. We are now 8 months into the COVID-19 pandemic and like many, CI’s world has turned upside down…. Read more »