SOS Celebrates a Busy Weekend - 1,206 participants, 35 program days, 13 mountain resorts

After a short break for the Holidays, SOS participants are getting back on the hill this weekend. SOS serves 5,200 students annually, 825 of them in the long-term University program. Between Wednesday, January 9 and Sunday, January 13, SOS will serve 1206 students across 35 program days at 13 different mountain resorts. These five days mark one of the biggest program weeks SOS has ever seen, as more kids than ever are exposed to a core value curriculum, positive mentorship relationships, and new adventure sports.

Many skiers and snowboarders are on the mountain simply for the thrill and good times, but SOS kids are learning core values such as courage, discipline, and integrity. Participants face a variety of risk factors including failing grades, low-income households, single-parent families, or exposure to drugs and alcohol. Through leadership workshops, community service projects, core value training, mentorship, and ride days the SOS curriculum builds self-esteem and life skills.  SOS participants have already started putting the core values into practice by giving back to their community through service projects across the country.

We are incredibly thankful for all of the resorts who are partnering with us to deliver the SOS curriculum to so many students. This weekend’s 35 program days will take place at Vail, Beaver Creek, Monarch, Heavenly, Arapahoe Basin, Winter Park, Steamboat Springs, Loveland, Keystone, Summit at Snoqualmie, Sunlight, Breckenridge, and Durango. It’s really exciting to see SOS kids on the mountain across all of these different locations.

Perhaps most exciting is the students we have participating in long-term programs. Students work with their Sherpas to set and achieve goals, define and practice core values, and plan and execute service projects.  SOS mentors provide positive role models and encouragement these kids might not get anywhere else. These positive mentorship relationships are being built across the country. This weekend alone there will be 212 University students riding in Eagle County, 12 in Steamboat, 57 in Durango, 134 in the Front Range, 150 in Summit County, and 38 in Tahoe. This weekend’s 629 long-term participants are in addition to the 577 students participating in our 5-day short-term programs or our introductory Snowcore program.  What a weekend!