Some lucky elementary students had an unforgettable field trip today (Tuesday)...make that ski trip. Deep in the fitting room at Mt. Rose Ski Resort, there's a run on the smallest ski boots. 10 year-old Omar Vazquez has never worn one before. Walking around in his red boots, he told me, "It feels like a robot's controlling it. And it feels good."
Omar is out of his element…but today having an experience he'll never forget. He's a 4th grader at Reno's Elmcrest Elementary School…a Title 1 school where many have never even had the opportunity to travel outside their neighborhood. Today, he's going to ski the mountain. As he put it, “I’m going to learn how to be on the skis, and how it actually feels like."
Sitting next to him is his friend and classmate Cicely. Normally today, both would be in a classroom. Cicely said they’d be “Probably doing math and then going to computers, music, then the library." But not this day. They are skiers, about to hit the slopes. Cicely told us, "I'm very excited. I'm a little bit scared...afraid that I'm going to fall down and hurt myself."
Next stop: being matched up with some very cumbersome skis. Cicely’s review? "This is hard...it's heavy!" And then finally scooting off to a panoramic view of evergreens and brushed snow. Instructor Dan Meyer gives them their first ever lesson: "Right over here. Now when we walk, we walk from our heels to our toes."
And off they go. You can see Cicely's excitement, mixed with a little bit of worry, as she slides across the slippery terrain...as instructor Dan, is beaming. As he told us, "She hasn't sat down that much. She's still active, which is a good thing!"
It may be a bit risky for a 9-year old newbie. Yet Cicely says it's worth it. On the slopes, the students are using skills, and engaging in exercise. The adults here measure how fun it is…by the size of the smiles. Dan observed, "They have big smiles. I have a teenager, so I'm not used to seeing too many smiles at home, so this is good!” Nearby, Elmcrest 4th grade teach Amy Williams told me, "They will be talking about it all week long, and for the rest of winter."
There were some lessons besides the ski ones. The theme of the field trip was “The Science of Snow,” with a talk on the way over about weather, climate and even a little physics. Exercise and wellness were also emphasized.
Halfway into her first ski lesson, Cicely told me, "It’s going good. It's a little bit hard, because you have to adjust every time you're on the skis...like you have to do that to hit the brakes." While back in the fitting room, Omar says...there's nothing like it: “This was something totally new. Yeah. I've never been here...in my life."
