Investing in the Future
Aug 30, 2007
Ski Utah’s School Programs Prepare the Next Generation of Winter Sport Lovers
SALT LAKE CITY – Ski Utah’s school programs—the Fourth Grade Learn to Ski & Ride Program, the Fifth Grade Ski & Snowboard Passport and the Sixth Grade Snowpass—were conceived, very simply, to introduce Utah children to skiing and snowboarding. “Research has shown that at ages 9, 10 and 11 kids are forming attachments to sports they will practice into adulthood. We hope what they learn both about skiing and riding and discover that fitness lasts a lifetime,” said Raelene Davis, marketing director of Ski Utah.
More than one million people live along Utah’s Wasatch Front, home to 10 of Utah’s 13 mountain resorts. In an effort to introduce Utah kids to the incredible assets right in their backyard, Ski Utah began a grass roots campaign in 1989 to teach every Utah child to ski. In the 17 years since, more than 100,000 children have participated in Ski Utah’s school programs, many of whom had never before been in the mountains. “Ski Utah’s school programs are a great way to promote fitness, expose our students to other areas of the state and help bring their classroom lessons to life,” said Rex Becker, principal of Salt Lake City’s Rosecrest Elementary School.
Ski Utah’s “high altitude education” begins in fourth grade with the Learn to Ski & Ride Program, a six- to eight-week in-classroom ski and snowboard education curriculum culminating in an on-mountain ski or snowboard lesson at one of Utah’s 13 participating mountain resorts. The program also includes aerobic, strength and skills training designed by Jo Garuccio, a physical education expert and member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA).
“While the exercises and stretches included in the program are good preparation for skiing or snowboarding, they also apply to a number of other sports and activities,” Garuccio said. All fourth, fifth and sixth graders can also earn the Ski Utah Fitness Award by tracking their progress in the fitness portion of the program.
The Fifth Grade Ski & Snowboard Passport, initiated in 1998, builds on what children learn in the fourth grade by offering three days of free skiing or snowboarding at each of Utah’s 13 resorts, as well as special deals on equipment rentals, lessons and other activities for fifth graders and members of their families. The Sixth Grade Snowpass, introduced in 2003, is the graduate phase of Ski Utah’s school programs, offering sixth graders one day of free skiing at each of Utah’s 13 mountain resorts.
Sponsors of Ski Utah’s School Programs include KSL-TV, KSL Radio, the Truth about Tobacco, Zions Bank, Marriott Mountainside, Ski ‘N’ See, Rossignol Skis, Smith, Eider and Ski Utah member resorts. For more information, go to www.skiutahlocals.com.
SALT LAKE CITY – Ski Utah’s school programs—the Fourth Grade Learn to Ski & Ride Program, the Fifth Grade Ski & Snowboard Passport and the Sixth Grade Snowpass—were conceived, very simply, to introduce Utah children to skiing and snowboarding. “Research has shown that at ages 9, 10 and 11 kids are forming attachments to sports they will practice into adulthood. We hope what they learn both about skiing and riding and discover that fitness lasts a lifetime,” said Raelene Davis, marketing director of Ski Utah.
More than one million people live along Utah’s Wasatch Front, home to 10 of Utah’s 13 mountain resorts. In an effort to introduce Utah kids to the incredible assets right in their backyard, Ski Utah began a grass roots campaign in 1989 to teach every Utah child to ski. In the 17 years since, more than 100,000 children have participated in Ski Utah’s school programs, many of whom had never before been in the mountains. “Ski Utah’s school programs are a great way to promote fitness, expose our students to other areas of the state and help bring their classroom lessons to life,” said Rex Becker, principal of Salt Lake City’s Rosecrest Elementary School.
Ski Utah’s “high altitude education” begins in fourth grade with the Learn to Ski & Ride Program, a six- to eight-week in-classroom ski and snowboard education curriculum culminating in an on-mountain ski or snowboard lesson at one of Utah’s 13 participating mountain resorts. The program also includes aerobic, strength and skills training designed by Jo Garuccio, a physical education expert and member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA).
“While the exercises and stretches included in the program are good preparation for skiing or snowboarding, they also apply to a number of other sports and activities,” Garuccio said. All fourth, fifth and sixth graders can also earn the Ski Utah Fitness Award by tracking their progress in the fitness portion of the program.
The Fifth Grade Ski & Snowboard Passport, initiated in 1998, builds on what children learn in the fourth grade by offering three days of free skiing or snowboarding at each of Utah’s 13 resorts, as well as special deals on equipment rentals, lessons and other activities for fifth graders and members of their families. The Sixth Grade Snowpass, introduced in 2003, is the graduate phase of Ski Utah’s school programs, offering sixth graders one day of free skiing at each of Utah’s 13 mountain resorts.
Sponsors of Ski Utah’s School Programs include KSL-TV, KSL Radio, the Truth about Tobacco, Zions Bank, Marriott Mountainside, Ski ‘N’ See, Rossignol Skis, Smith, Eider and Ski Utah member resorts. For more information, go to www.skiutahlocals.com.
