Cool school: Students work towards diploma, graduate to higher level on the slopes at OR boarding school
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MT. HOOD, OR (KPTV ) — Ski school sounds like a dream school for some teenagers who’ve been calling Mt. Hood home for the past decade.
Formerly known as the Windells Academy on Mt. Hood, the Wy’East Mountain Academy is a world-class action sports hub for student-athletes in middle and high school who can work towards a diploma and graduate to a higher level on the slopes.
From school at the base to higher learning at the summit, the Wy’East Mountain Academy on Mt. Hood offers a fresh powdered track to a high school diploma with college prep and a step up in action sports competition.
“We have snow on campus, so it just gets you hyped and ready and all of the people there are super sick,” said 15-year-old Lorena Kelley from Palm Springs, California.
It’s super sick to have your pick of snowboarding, free skiing, big mountain or skateboarding.
“It’s killer. We can kind of divide and conquer and still have a great experience,” said Elijah Teter, the snowboard program director.
Coming down the mountain before or later for an after-school special.
“It’s an impressive program and I am stoked to be involved with all of the coaches out there but it’s all that we are out in right now – nature,” said Teter.
True to his nature, Teter in his second year as Wy’East Mountain Academy snowboard program director. A former member of the USA snowboard team, Teter also coached up his little sister, 2006 Olympic gold medalist, Hannah Teter.
“It’s cool to know that he was able to get his sister to Olympic level so that is the possibility, at least getting me way more advanced than I am,” said Southridge High School junior Kira Zulauf.
Teachers are on-site for the online schooling while the kids remain in contact with their local schools. It’s about living and learning individuality, and you better be stoked for time management.
“If you aren’t following through on your classes, you have to stay and do classes all day. That’s one of those motivation factors that the kids are like, ‘No, I want to keep riding. I want to get better,’” Teter said. “The majority will either pick two semesters to come here or those that really want to jump in and pursue it, they will jump in for the full year.”
When asked how she convinced her parents to let her attend, Kelley said, “That was the hard one. It was that I would be responsible and promises that I’ve kept.”
Parker Arneson, an eighth grader from Missoula, Montana, told FOX 12, “Definitely homesick at night but just tired. I don’t know, it’s pretty fun.”
“I thought it was going to be pretty hard, but I am chilling. It’s not very hard,” said 14-year-old Kennedy Lamer from Boise, Idaho.
They can chill on the hill with their classmates from near and far.
“The fact that we have four kids from Australia is, like, so sick,” said Lamer.
It’s a sick opportunity, indeed.
“It’s just getting to love Oregon. I think we all love it. That’s why we are all here,” Teter said.
Snow days are always welcome with the Wy’East Mountain Academy.
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