STAFF WRITER: RUTLAND HERALD | February 13,2015
Anthony Edwards / Staff Photo
Members of the Stafford All-Stars band perform during the school’s Winter Carnival at Pico Mountain Resort on Thursday.
The bunny hill of Pico mountain was teeming with kids Thursday morning. Some snowplowed down the slope with wobbling legs. Others caught an edge with their snowboard and face-planted into the fluff, only to get right back up and try again.
But the kids who swarmed the beginner trail were not in the usual age group.
They were all high school students from Stafford Technical Center, and Thursday was the annual Winter Carnival.
“It’s a chance for the students to take a break from all of the hard work they have done and just have some fun,” said Glenn Olson, assistant director at Stafford.
Students get the chance to learn how to ski or board, with access not only to equipment, but the workout center and the pool as well.
And it’s only $10 per student.
“Some of these students have never even tried skiing or snowboarding before,” Olson said. “So this is an incredible opportunity for everyone.”
Matt Vida is a second-year student at Stafford and Thursday was his first time on a snowboard.
He declared himself a natural, after managing to get down the hill three times without falling once.
“I thought this was going to kill me,” Vida said with a sense of triumph. “But I haven’t fallen once so far. I think that means it’s time for me to try going to the top of the mountain.”
Last year, Vida said he tried skiing. He found that much harder and not nearly as much fun.
“I always fell on skis, snowboarding is a lot easier.”
Johnny Dikeman, a fellow classmate, had the opposite reaction to skis.
“I’ve never skied before today,” he said, shuffling through the snow on his way to the chair lift. “I just had no interest in it. But now, I’ve found out that it is actually a lot of fun.”
Although most of the technical students and teachers were scattered throughout the mountain, some students shied away from the snow and wind and found a day filled with warm activities.
The heated pool was filled with students taking a break from the cold weather, while others ran on treadmills and practiced yoga.
Sara Weinle, a first-year Stafford student, said she was hopping from one activity to the next, trying them all out.
Well, all of them except skiing or snowboarding.
“I want to stay inside where it’s warm,” she said, on her way to a dance class in the studio. “Today, I am escaping school and staying in this warm climate.”
Her friend, Ashley Atwood, followed closely behind.
“We’ve been in the pool, we’re trying out dancing and then we’ll try some of the exercise machines,” she said. “It’s a treat in the middle of winter.”
And that is what the day is designed for, to give students a little reward and get them involved with something they have never tried before, Olson added.
Riley Benoit said while skiing was somewhat appealing, the thought of hurting himself kept him from stepping into a pair of boots.
But he was perfectly content with his day filled with warmer, safer activities, he said.
“It’s a fun way to get out of school and to take a break from our normal routine,” he said, heading to the gym.
bryanna.allen @rutlandherald.com