Cottonwood Institute (CI) is an award-winning 501(c)3 educational non-profit organization based in Denver, Colorado serving Metro Denver including Boulder County. Cottonwood Institute aims to inspire a new generation of 21st century leaders who are environmentally aware, civically engaged, and empowered to make a positive impact within their communities.
Cottonwood Institute is on a mission to connect underserved students to the outdoors and empower them to take action to improve their schools, the community, and the environment for future generations.
CI collaborates with schools and youth organizations—primarily for middle and high school students—to provide high quality, high impact environmental education and service-learning programs. Through our Community Adventure Program (CAP) class and other field based curriculum, CI engage students with discussions about local issues,
community action, hiking and overnight camping trips, and implementing hands-on, student-directed Action Projects.
Talk to Madeline about CI programming, equity and inclusion in the outdoors, a diverse and representative workforce in EE, Front Range hiking, female leadership (in the outdoors) and empowerment of young women, best practices for hiring and retention of part-time/contracted instructors, backcountry skiing, amazing herding dogs ...