Have you ever experienced the full potential of what nature can offer? Students at KIPP Montbello Collegiate High School, as part of the Cottonwood Institute’s Community Adventure Program, were able to experience nature up close and personal when they took a snowshoe trip to the mountains at Caribou Ranch. As the bus arrived in the parking lot,… Read more »
The act of making a fire connects us back to our ancestors of more than 100,000 years ago. Huddling around a fire for warmth, sustenance and community is something that too few of us get to experience in our modern world. But on a snowy day at the end of January, in a sheltered grove… Read more »
The Aspen leaves just began changing, and this weekend Cottonwood Institute had the chance to see the leaves and enjoy the fall weather camping with four National Guard families in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. The group had various outdoor experience but one commonality, as one of the mom’s explained, “My family doesn’t usually camp and my husband… Read more »
A couple weeks ago, Cottonwood Institute teamed up with Casa de la Esperanza, a housing community in Longmont hosted by Boulder County Housing Authority, and engaged seven kids, one chaperon, and two Cottonwood Instructors in a weekend adventure exploring new lands. As the bus pulled away from the city and entered the luscious green of the Boulder… Read more »
This spring, the Community Adventure Program (CAP) at New Vista High School had many amazing outdoor experiences! Each adventure built upon the last, as the students grew into competent and excited outdoor enthusiasts. On most Friday afternoons throughout their few months together, CAP class headed to the nearby trails at the base of the Flat… Read more »
In mid-March, the Mini Community Adventure Program (Mini-CAP) crew from STRIVE Preparatory Schools’ Westwood campus embarked on an overnight camping adventure in the foothills of Colorado with the Cottonwood Institute. Highlights of the trip for the students were learning and practicing primitive survival skills, and simply spending time away from the city and within the… Read more »
At the end of August, a brave group of chefs from Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, joined Cottonwood Institute for a day of survival activities and fun in the foothills. A dozen chefs from several Snooze locations came together to experience a day of survival training that centered around a competition of two randomly selected teams. … Read more »
After two overnight camping trips, Community Adventure Program students reflected on their experiences thus far. Many students made deep connections between our class and everyday life. Read what Lucy had to say about her CAP class wilderness experiences: I got many things out of the two overnights that we went on as a CAP class. One… Read more »
In mid July a group high school girls from Colorado Youth for a Change in Boulder (a drop-out prevention program), along with one girl who flew all the way to Colorado from the DC area just for this course, spent four days at beautiful Sunrise Ranch learning the ways of sustainable agriculture on Cottonwood Institute’s… Read more »
Throughout 2011 and 2012, Cottonwood Institute has been partnering with Casa de la Esperanza, a Boulder County housing community in Longmont. We have gone on day hikes, hosted movie nights, and worked on action projects. And finally, on the weekend of July 21st, we embarked on the best adventure ever – CAMPING! The forest of… Read more »
