Freeski Program

"OMS has given me the opportunity to pursue both academics and athletics at an elite level. I have been able to take AP and honors level courses, and have received a quality, engaging education that has opened many doors in the process of college admissions and scholarship opportunities. All the while, being able to compete at a professional level in snowboarding. The skills I have gained from this experience are innumerable, reaching far beyond the classroom and athletic stage. However, more than I have become a student or athlete, OMS has taught me the importance of simply being a good person."

-- ANNA VALENTINE, CLASS OF 2018

"OMS will always hold a special place in my heart, for not only supporting me in my passion for ski racing, but also in becoming my second family. All of the people who worked at OMS did everything they could to accommodate my rigorous class schedule and racing calendar. The community that fills OMS everyday is something I don't think I could of found anywhere else. I started OMS as a shy 8th grader, barely able to hold conversation on the chairlift. But when I graduated five years later, I had confidence, ambition and life long friends."

-- KRISTINA BONNET, CLASS OF 2016

"I had just retired and received a call from OMS. I met with them and loved the concept, the staff and the schools' mission statement. I liked the idea of individual learning and working 5 months a year. I am going into my 3rd year and I love the school, students and staff. It is a supportive environment and the students are high energy and focused. The administration and coaches work together with the teaching staff to provide the best possible experience for students." 

--  WENDY HAYWARD, FACULTY, ENGLISH, SOCIAL STUDIES

"As a coach at Okemo Mountain School, I particularly love watching the physical and mental growth in our athletes. I started working at OMS in 2013 and have had the pleasure of seeing a number of athletes grow up in our program. It always amazes me to see the change athlete’s undertake from when they start at OMS to senior year. Athletes develop life long relationships with peers, coaches, and teachers; they also cultivate and develop essential skills like time management, communication, and the ability to be resilient in the face of disappointment. OMS is not only a Winter Snow Sports Academy, it is also a place for an athlete to grow and build a solid foundation for future success, no matter where life takes them."  

-- CHARLES (JET) ROBBINS, HEAD COACH U14, STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

Being away from home is hard, but I would never want to change how I spent my winters. I did not appreciate the independence and responsibility I had at OMS until I began my freshman year at the University of Notre Dame. Most of my classmates had never been held accountable for their school work. When you are in a one on one class you can't get away with not doing your homework or studying. As it it much more of a discussion than a class, I learned how to ask questions when I didn't understand and how to figure out what exactly I was having trouble with. Having this experience from OMS helped my transition into college classes be much easier. At the end of the school day at OMS, kids have to help clean up. It often felt like the end of the world to vacuum or take out the garbage, but It taught me to be responsible for my own space. 

-- KRISTINA BONNET, CLASS OF 2016

“I think that OMS prepared me for higher education in a way that’s different than most people. The rigorous training and racing schedule forced me to be efficient with my time, as well as taught me how to manage my time to fit my academics into my daily schedule. I think that a lot of students entering into their freshmen year of college are overwhelmed with the amount of freedom they have and the time management skills that I developed from my time at OMS prepared me for the amount of work that a higher education requires.

I was part of the full winter term throughout high school until I graduated in 2014. I have competed in the MacConnell Division with the Clarkson Alpine Ski Team for two seasons now and finished fourth in the division both seasons. On the national level I’ve had two top twenty finishes in giant slalom. ”

— GREG MURRAY, CLASS OF 2014

"I feel like OMS prepared me for being out of my comfort zone and finding ways to adapt to new situations. It gave me a great drive and focus in all areas of my life. Ski racing itself is a great way of learning the skill of grit. There is a lot of ‘failure’ in ski racing and learning to deal with that helps you to have resilience and perseverance. There is also a lot of time-management developed through the sport and the school. To be successful you have to be able to balance your academic and athletic schedule while being held accountable to high standards in both fields. There was not a way to ‘slip through the cracks’ in a small school like OMS and therefore, you had to be very focused in order to remain on top of things. All of these skills are integral to being a successful student, teacher, mother, and person in general. I am constantly relying on them and utilizing them in my everyday life."

-- COURTNEY RUGGIERO, CLASS OF 2001