I have been a skier for 41 years. I have been a teacher for 21 years. I know that taking students to Eaglecrest for ski and snowboard lessons sounds daunting, kind of stressful, and maybe a little scary, especially if you are a non-skier. However, let me tell you, a field trip to Eaglecrest with your class is the easiest field trip you will ever take your class on.

Once you set your schedule with the Snowsports School, it’s a simple matter of collecting forms from your students.  An Eaglecrest respresentative will come to school to pick up the forms & does all the paperwork entry and schedules your bus.  As with any field trip, you’ll get your students on the bus but once on the mountain, Eaglecrest takes over!  Eaglecrest staff are your student’s teachers for the day – from check in, to rentals, to lessons, to facilitating safe skiing and riding after lunch, the Eaglecrest staff manages the outdoor classroom environment while you take pictures, enjoy some time in the lodge or if you ski like I do, take some laps – the kids love to show their teacher what they are learning on the snow!

From my years as a teacher and skier, one student experience at Eaglecrest stands out from all those I could share.  He was a cautious student with no self-esteem, unwilling to try anything new. A few weeks before we went to Eaglecrest, we went to the ice rink and he had a horrible time. He stood by the wall and wouldn’t move a muscle. Half the time he was in tears and said it was the worst day of his life. So, you can imagine I was a little worried about taking him to Eaglecrest for a day of skiing. Well three words later and he was a completely different kid, “BEST. DAY. EVER!” Direct quote. The Snowsports School staff had him on the Porcupine lift within half an hour and he was skiing like he had been doing it for years not less than an hour. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen. And for the last two months of school I saw a change in his attitude and willingness to try new things even with the possibility of failure. A day at Eaglecrest had changed his mindset. And if you are still not convinced: His MAP scores went up 10 points that May.

So, if you are still a little hesitant to bring a class up skiing, don’t be. It is a wonderfully fulfilling day with your class. I still see students of mine who had never skied before on the mountain to this day, and parents thanking me for introducing their student to a healthy outdoor activity.

Sarah Satre, Auke Bay Elementary Teacher