Every quarter offers something new for each Community Adventure Program (CAP) student at New Vista High School in Boulder, and this past one was no different. While traipsing through the snow on both overnights, the students learned a lot about themselves, each other, and how to be comfortable outdoors in the Colorado winter! Read what… Read more »
It’s hard to think about winter survival skills when its been in the 60’s recently here in Denver. But only a few weeks ago, we had enough snow to build some serious quinzhees. Amidst the gently falling flakes at Brainard Lake Recreation Area, a quintessential group of outdoor educators gathered together for Cottonwood Institute’s annual… Read more »
Colorado Gives Day is officially two weeks away on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, but you can set up your donation to the Cottonwood Institute today! With your help we can meet our end of the year goal to raise the critical funds we need to help connect diverse students to the outdoors and empower them… Read more »
With wind chills predicted at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, the brave students from this quarter’s Community Adventure Program (CAP) at New Vista High School headed to the mountains near Allenspark, CO to take part in their first overnight of the class! Several students had never camped before and many had never been winter camping. With a week… Read more »
Here at Cottonwood Institute, we are all about teamwork. On a pleasantly warm fall evening in October at Cherry Creek Reservoir, Clark Patton from CI teamed up with a group of campers from Buckley Air Force Base’s Youth Programs for a couple of hours of fun and fire skills. As a guest instructor with a… Read more »
They said we were too small. They said our network wasn’t big enough. They said don’t even bother applying. They said we didn’t have a chance. And yet we did it! We just received the official announcement that the Cottonwood Institute won the 2011 Markham Mark of Distinction Award and $25,000 to support our programs… Read more »
Last February, Earth Task Force (ETF) students and staff, co-wrote a grant application for the National Environmental Education Foundation’s (NEEF) Green Prize Award. The Green Prize is a national contest for schools across the country with a prize of $10,000 to help fund the winning schools’ sustainability efforts. In 2011, over 100 schools from around… Read more »
As the salamanders relaxed in the stillness of the early morning waters, and the plants soaked up the first rays of the morning sun, off in the distance there was a faint, yet distinct sound of children’s laughter and the crunch of twigs underfoot. Cottonwood Institute’s survival course was underway once again at Taylor Mountain…. Read more »
The 2nd Annual Cornhole Throwdown to benefit the Cottonwood Institute wrapped up last Saturday and we are happy to report that it was a success! 30 teams and over 70 spectators battled it out to show their support for the Cottonwood Institute. Despite a minor injury from Board Member Marley Steele-Inama, who developed a minor… Read more »
People often ask me about the impact Cottonwood Institute programs have on our participants and the communities we serve, and I am reminded of a quote by Paul Loeb, the author of Soul of a Citizen, we share with students at the end of our programs: “We never know how the impact of our actions… Read more »
