As Cottonwood Institute (CI) enters our third year of programming for Nature Kids / Jovenes de la Naturaleza (Nature Kids) Program in Lafayette, CO, it is time to look back on what we have accomplished the previous two years. Nature Kids is a five-year, $10 million collective impact project led by Thorne Nature Experience that… Read more »
STRIVE Prep — RISE sent their second group of freshmen out to Sylvan Dale Ranch last weekend for an orientation trip full of fun and adventure! The group had a chance to bond with friends and with the natural world while playing outside, learning about stars, and enjoying delicious meals and s’mores around the campfire…. Read more »
Squeezing in one last bit of summer fun, the CAP students at Angevine Middle School spent two adventure-filled days at Cheley Outpost near Estes Park. Sergio, one of the students, reports on the trip for us: So what happened first is that we got to school at 7:45 and we played a name game then… Read more »
Entering high school is a major moment of transition in the life of a student. But at Big Picture College and Career Academy, high school is just one part of…well, you know. That’s why they partnered with Cottonwood Institute (CI) to design a day of custom programming, to acclimate their new Freshmen to the Big… Read more »
On August 28, 2019, Cottonwood Institute‘s (CI) hard work was recognized when it won the coveted ColoradoBiz Magazine Top Company Award in the nonprofit category. According to Ford Church, CI’s Founder and Executive Director, “kids today are spending 50 hours per week in front of some screen or device, soon they will be asked… Read more »
Summertime in Denver is not complete without Cottonwood Institute’s Annual Throwdown charity cornhole tournament at Union Station. Union Station, originally built in 1881, burned down in 1894, and re-created in 1914, while historical, was previously only known as a train depot. (Really, there were passenger trains in and out of Denver?) Now, not only does… Read more »
For some students, one semester of CAP class with Cottonwood Institute just isn’t enough. And could you blame them? Connecting with the outdoors, learning critical 21st-century skills, effecting meaningful change in their communities—what’s not to love? And for a certain devoted subset of those students, like Leo Canner, even two semesters of CAP only serve… Read more »
Beats on the Creek has become a summertime staple in downtown Denver, bringing people together on the banks of Cherry Creek to enjoy food, drinks, and free live music, all to support local nonprofits! This year’s concert series, presented by Coohills Restaurant, is extra special because all proceeds from the event support Cottonwood Institute… Read more »
What a semester! With five CAP classes, 16 field excursions, and more than 100 students served, Spring 2019 was one of our busiest yet. From taking their frigid first steps on winter Field Days to making incredible strides to improve their communities in their Action Projects, Cottonwood Institute students have achieved so much this year…. Read more »
“I have the power of grape juice and I’m not afraid to use it!” Littleton Academy fifth grader AJ exclaimed Saturday morning as an animated group of 19 prepared for a day with the rescued wolves at Mission:Wolf. A lot of work had taken place leading up to that moment of anticipation, arriving at and… Read more »
