On Wednesdays each week after school at Great Bear Ski Valley, the bunny hill is a bit busier of first-time skiers and snowboarders.
That’s the time when Whittier Middle School’s Ski and Snowboard Club gets together to practice new skills.
Whittier’s club is the only one like it in the district and started last year with a unique partnership between Great Bear, Promising Futures Fund and the Boys & Girls Club, with the organizations helping provide snow safety gear, ski and snowboard rentals and transportation to Great Bear.
Suzannah Chap, attendance liaison at Whittier Middle School and head instructor of the club, said about 11 students participate now but she would like to see it expand in another session this year to more than two dozen students, and reach other schools. Last year, the club learned snowboarding skills, but this year’s emphasis is skiing.
“It’s a safe, fun learning environment,” Chap said. “It opens up different avenues for them, especially in South Dakota. It’s just fun to see the smiles on their faces, get them outside, and do something different.”