We are all changemakers; knowingly or unknowingly, the effects of our actions ripple out, changing the world in large and small ways each day. Every year since 2013 at the Base Camp Bash, Cottonwood Institute recognizes the ways our students make change in their schools, their communities, and the world. The Ripple Effect Award celebrates… Read more »
Earth Day Stay-At-Home Challenge Just because you are stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t do something to save the planet. Here are some great activities collected by the CAP Class at Angevine Middle School, and CAP instructor Erin Angel! Choose at least one challenge from each category and complete it. Each category contains some… Read more »
With schools transitioning to distance learning and students spending (understandably) less time outside, Cottonwood Institute has been faced with the tough question of how to make environmental education accessible and relevant in a time when we can’t do many of the things that normally make up a CAP Class. Fortunately, our team has quite a… Read more »
On a serendipitous sunny day in February, forces aligned to restore Coal Creek from the 2013 floods. Lafayette CAP Outdoor students from Centaurus High School and Angevine Middle School worked with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, the City of Lafayette, and Biologists from University of Colorado to plant willows to shore up the banks of the flood-damaged… Read more »
It has been a whirlwind since accepting my new position as Cottonwood Institute’s Program Director. Not only did I get to learn about our CI programming and meet the incredible staff, but I was able to attend educational sessions at Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2020. As if that wasn’t exciting enough, the cherry on top… Read more »
Overview The CAP Program is an award-winning elective class offered during the school day for academic credit. During CAP, students meet in class 3-5 days per week, challenge themselves on hikes and overnight camping trips, explore inspiring solutions to hyper-local environmental issues, choose an issue to address as a class, and collaborate with other local… Read more »
We’ve reached the end of another year at Cottonwood Institute! 2019 was a big one for us (our fifteenth!), and we’re so proud of everything our students, instructors, volunteers, alumni, partners, and community members accomplished this year. Check out ten of our most inspiring stories from 2019 — we think you’ll be amazed! 10…. Read more »
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 »
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 »
This year Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) is celebrating 30 years of being a statewide leader in environmental education in Colorado. Last week they put on their 19th annual Advancing Environmental Education Conference. Cottonwood Institute (CI) presented two conference sessions and received the Advancing Environmental Literacy Award on behalf of the Nature Kids/Jovenes de… Read more »
