About Us
Vision
The Kiva Center began with a vision…
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A vision to provide children with learning experiences where they feel at home within their community, revel in the wonders of the outdoors, and be recognized for the unique gifts they carry.
At The Kiva Center We Value...
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Integrity – Embody values, honor agreements, and take accountability for actions.
Awareness – Observe, listen deeply, and consider the whole (self, others, and land).
Growth – Embrace learning, play, challenge, and emotional development.
Reciprocity – Foster mutual care in relationships, mentoring, and connection with the land.
Dignity – Hold each person’s worth at the center, ensuring inclusion and co-regulation.
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What We Do
The Kiva Center offers immersive outdoor experiences focused on experiential learning, socio-emotional wellbeing, and creating community.
We have a wilderness-based homeschool, afterschool, summer, family, and professional development programs.
When we stop to listen to the youth of our community, the underlying tone of hopelessness, loneliness, and fear is often present. They witness what is happening around them, from environmental degradation, people and cultures fighting, human rights subjective to identity, and much more, as well as figuring out who they are. They carry so much on their shoulders, in their bodies and hearts. At The Kiva Center, we see our youth. We see potential, a desire for more inclusion, a longing in them for more hope in the world.
The Kiva Center programs are structured to offer today's youth hope, connection, and community through a connection with the natural world and all the healing that comes with this connection. We support children ages 5-17 years old to develop authentic relationships with one another. We provide a safer space to practice using their voices and standing up for what matters to them, empowering the next generation of leaders.
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Our Mission
The Kiva Center's mission is to build inner-strength and compassion in Colorado’s youth through transformational nature-connection experiences.
What Motivates Our Work
Ways We Engage Community
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We partner with Great Outdoors Colorado and the My Outdoors Colorado Coalition within the Westwood Neighborhood of Denver to offer after-school programming at CMS Community School and Castro Elementary School.
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E-Movement - This is a coalition of public and private sectors that are all engaged in bringing environmental education to all youth throughout their school career.
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Sustainable Resilient Longmont - We partner with this great organization to bring free programming for events within our local community.
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Boulder County Open Space for community volunteer days.
Our Story
Started in the backyard of a picturesque 3.5 acre property in south Boulder, Kasey Schelling, Ashley Kulik, and Garrett Braun heard the call of the community to create a space for youth to authentically connect with their self, each other, and the world around them.