Over the last 5 years Okemo Mountain School has presented me with opportunities that others could only dream of. After making my way through the OMST program and now attending OMS full time, I can confidently say this is one of the best snowboard programs in the country. The coaches at Okemo not only serve as resources on the mountain, but mentors outside of the sport. Their combined love for coaching and the support they've provided me is unmatched. This has allowed me to reach the highest goals I have set for myself. Their unique approach to coaching keeps the soul of the sport present, and has taught me to compete at the highest levels snowboarding can offer. Without this incredible amount of support from the school, teachers, and coaches I'm certain the reality I live today would still be a dream.
Read MoreThe coaches at OMS fostered a community which enabled me to thrive since I was 9 years old. What sticks out to me most about these mentors is their expression of authenticity. My time spent with them always felt, and to this day remains, raw and authentic. Whether that be enjoying our passion of snowboarding, or Luke relaying to me that my style on a certain trick wasn't on point, I felt a strong sense of realness in this environment. Looking back, I'm fortunate to have coaches that genuinely care about all of the riders and share the same intense passion for snowboarding. I consider them some of my closest friends, and it's really cool to have them at some of the current competitions I'm doing.
Read MoreI want to start off by saying that these camps are filled with some of the most fun things in the world. We do actives from repelling down cliffs to wake surfing. It also involves working out and preparing for ski season. On top of everything, the 2 counselors, Jet & Chris, are some of the nicest people ever. To sum it up, these camps are spectacular, balancing fun and preparation for ski season!
- - Dillon Poodiack, age 12
Read More"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
Read More"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
Read More"I really like the opportunities that summer camps provide to work on the fundamentals and the small but important aspects of skiing, things that are hard to work on during mid-winter, the height of the competition season. It's also really fun to explore a new ski mountain, especially during the summer when we haven't been skiing in a couple of months. The activities that we did in the afternoon were great, things like mountain biking, hiking and whitewater rafting, and I loved doing these things around Oregon, where I had never been before."
-- CAROLINE DE BUY WENNIGER, 11TH GRADE
Read More"I loved the Mt. Hood camp because it was very fun and I also improved my skiing a lot. I learned how to pick and maintain a better line on the race course. When we weren't skiing we had a lot of fun especially during the white water rafting trip."
-- RYAN THOMSON
Read More"As an educator who has worked with youth for three decades in a number of different schools and programs, I have rarely encountered a group of students so highly motivated and engaged in learning as the student-athletes at Okemo Mountain School. OMS students work hard on the mountain and in the classroom. They are a joy to teach."
-– MICHELLE BOS-LUN, FACULTY, SOCIAL STUDIES, ENGLISH
Read More"I love working with our students because they are so happy, motivated and understand the value of hard work!"
-- STEVE SEVERSON, FACULTY, MATH
Read More"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
Read More"I loved everything about the camp! We went mountain biking, the skatepark, Buttermilk Falls, tubing. There was something fun & cool to do every day. I started to learn how to unicycle too. I was getting ready for ski season but still having lots of fun with friends."
-- HENRY ROE, AGE 11
Read More"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
Read MoreBeing 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
Read MoreIt is easy to see the exciting opportunities OMS will give you, such as traveling around the world and skiing everyday. But there is so much more to OMS. I learned what it means to follow your dreams, how continue to grow after successes, and how to change after failure. If I could repeat my time at OMS I would do so in heart beat.
-- KRISTINA BONNET, CLASS OF 2016
Read More"I enjoy working with the student-athletes because its both fun and motivating! These kids put in so much time and effort into the sport they love, seeing their hard work pay off is what its all about. Just knowing that you contributed into their success is a great feeling. After all, its all for the kids!"
-- BOBBY JONES, WOMEN'S ALPINE FIS COACH
Read More"OMS Summer Conditioning Camp was by far the best camp I have ever been to. First, I’m going to start off by saying that Chris and Jet are some of the nicest people I have ever met. It is the most fun camp, because there is a perfect balance between working out and getting fit and doing the best activities I have done. My favorites were indoor rock climbing, water skiing, kayaking, the skate park, and gymnastics. (There are tons more fun activities!)"
-- CHASE POODIACK, AGE 12
Read More“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
Read More"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
Read More"Our school has an ideal environment for learning. By the time the students come to us for their academic day, they have spent the morning pursuing their athletic passion on the mountain -- racing or flying through the air. With this adrenaline boost to their verbal memory and learning ability, these kids hit the ground running in the classroom and appear so much more clear-minded and able to absorb information than the typical high-schooler in an 8 a.m. academic class. My new students routinely are astonished by how much work they are completing and by how aspects of their academic subject seem to make more sense. The experience for all of us is both intense and tranquil at the same time."
- JOHN RUSHING, FACULTY, ENGLISH
Read More"Working with students at OMS is truly unique. The intimate setting of the school really allows you to push students and give them real responsibility and independence, while ensuring they stay engaged in their work. Students are able to express themselves and share their personality with you due to the one on one nature of the learning at OMS. The school creates a unique environment that fosters a great working relationship between the students and teachers."
-SEAN DEMPSEY, FACULTY, SCIENCE
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