An SBA Sweep

Fighting alpine marmots swept the podium yesterday during day one of racing at the U16 Western Region Championships on Mount Alyeska, Alaska. Michael Cooper placed first in the giant slalom race, followed by Pieter Weemaes in second and Luke Winters in third. Anchorage Daily News coverage can be found HERE. Kudos! 

A Two-Podium Day for SBA

Fighting marmot alpine racers ably defended home snow with some strong skiing in this morning's giant slalom race, taking first place in the ladies' and third in the men's races here at Sugar Bowl.

On the ladies' side, it was Julia Bjorkman with another first place finish for the season. Michael Cooper was third on the men's side.

Also in the top ten for the ladies were Lauren Dunn (fourth) and Lily Longton (ninth). For the men, Owen Wattenmaker finished fourth and Pieter Weemaes seventh. Full results are available HERE for the ladies and HERE for the men. 

Scott Schadlich named me volunteer "cat herder" at the starting gate, giving me a chance to see some of the pre-race and gate action close up. Enjoy the film footage (also available HERE), and congratulations to each and every fighting marmot for today's strong showing! 

Scene on Campus Pic of the Day

Scene on Campus Pic of the Day

"Off Piste" Advisory

Yes We CAN...Again!

Sinead Danagher reads a book in front of canned goods collected
by the eighth-grade advisory

Michael Cooper, Annika Berg, and Skyler Mullings of the 9th/10th-grade "Off Piste" advisory made a plea at All School Meeting today to help families who are struggling to put food on the tables this holiday season. As previously posted HERE on The Fighting Marmot, SBA is working with Truckee Community Christmas to collect canned goods for those in the Truckee area who might otherwise go hungry. 

Student-athletes who will not be in advisory Thursday due to travel schedules: please think ahead! 

Scene on Campus Pic of the Day

Student collaboration on display at Monday's All School Meeting

"Froshmores" Go Off Piste

Each advisory group at SBA structures its activities around a theme (there will be more surfacing on that subject in the fall newsletter, so stay tuned). One of two ninth/tenth-grade advisory groups is organizing around the theme of "Off Piste." Here, advisors Jeff Schloss, Lesley LeMasurier, and Peyton Jobe take advisees off piste to experience the Donner Summit train tunnel (no longer in operation!) as well as the petroglyphs just off of Old 40 near the summit.

What's Beneath the Surface?

Andy Giordano's Biology students enjoyed some hands-on learning today. Photos follow of the worm dissections...

Ascher Preps Campus for Annular Eclipse

Steve Ascher - glider pilot, meteorologist, always-on-Google-Earth guy - forever has his sights set on the sky. At Friday's All School Meeting, Ascher educated SBA student-athletes about Sunday's annular eclipse and how to view it without being blinded. Folks in the Donner Summit and greater Truckee area are uniquely positioned for a perfect vantage point for the eclipse, which will happen at approximately 6:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Enjoy the short film of students trying out their "Eclipse Shades," which were handed out at All School Meeting as part of Steve's presentation. 

Keeping Our Campus Clean!

Sugar Bowl Academy faculty and student-athletes worked together during advisory today to collect garbage from the campus grounds and around the West Bay parking area of Sugar Bowl Resort. You will notice an SBA Suburban packed for the Pole, Peddle, Paddle in Bend, OR. Go Fighting, Garbage-Collecting, Poling, Peddling, Paddling Marmots! 

Scene on Campus Photo of the Day, 4/22

Papel Picado Project for cinco de mayo takes an interesting turn.

Scene on Campus Photo of the Day, 3/30

Michael Cooper carrying Spanish fiesta supplies as well as all of his other skiing and school gear. This is the definition of the term "schlep".

Scene on Campus Photo of the Day, 3/26

Michael Cooper heads out into the elements at the close of classes

Joelle Romo speaks to the student body about her senior project at All School Meeting

Snow = Happy Campers

The scene at close of classes on 3/1

Weemaes Dominates on Home Snow

SBA J3 Alpine racers Pieter Weemaes, Luke Rodarte and Michael Cooper swept the podium Saturday.  


Here's an interview with Weemaes and Coach Bryce Hubner (and don't miss the SBA-TV report on SBA skiers in Winter Park and the current strong rankings of SBA/SBST skiers below this video short): 

Student/Athlete/Artists!

Skyler Mullings

As Monday's formal Christmas dinner at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort's Village Hall showed, Sugar Bowl Academy is more than a family of student/athletes. 

There are among us a number of very talented performing artists, as well. 

SBA eighth-grader Skyler Mullings of the Reno Youth Concert Orchestra played a Christmas medley solo on his trombone. 

Casey Jobe, Sam Zabell, Lauren Dunn, Camille Hartley

Reno Youth Symphony Orchestra violinists Sam Zabell and Camille Hartley, YCO violinist Casey Jobe, along with Lauren Dunn (somehow still standing after a red-eye flight from races in Alaska), treated the gathering to some stringed Christmas selections, as well.

And, finally, the fledgling SBA Glee Club showcased their singing talents to the current students, faculty, staff, and alumni gathered at Village Hall Monday night. 

Head of School Tracy Keller addressed the audience as one fast-growing and tightly-knit family.

Cassidy Cichowicz, Camille Hartley, Erika Klenk, Rollin Atkinson,
Michael Cooper, Maya Anthony-Crosby

Chefs Scott and Dan cooked a tasty traditional turkey dinner and marmot moms Paige Derdowski, Gale Klenk, Mary Beth Larusson, Brenda Nivinski, and Roxanne Romo volunteered their set-up services. 

"A special thanks to our awesome marmot moms who moved lots of tables and chairs and set up beautiful holiday dining tables, replete with greenery donated by the Larusson family," said SBA Student Council Advisor Aly Kendall. 

Lost Videos of the Performance Training Center, Pt. 3

Scene on Campus Photo of the Day

Infallible!

Official Snow Pool Master of Ceremonies
Michael Cooper awards 2011 Snow Pool
Champ Steve Ascher the coveted
Snowball Trophy

An award ceremony was held on campus today to honor Staff Meteorologist Steve Ascher for his resounding win in the 2011 SBA Snow Pool. 


In the annual school-wide Snow Pool, Ascher predicted our first snowfall of significant accumulation would be October 15th, only 11 days off the actual October 4th storm date. 

Ascher displaying the Snowball Trophy

Fortunately for Ascher, nobody else came closer than he to predicting our early snowfall, so kudos to Señor Esteban on winning the 2011 Snow Pool prize, the coveted Snowball Trophy.


Additionally, Happy belated birthday, Steve!

Enjoy the embedded slide show of photos from our first snow day! As you can see, Sam Zabell was Snow Shoveler of the Day. 

The Leaning Tower of...Paper?

Brian Francis and Rollin Atkinson
building the paper tower while
Katrin Larusson, Pilar Alvarez,
and Savannah Blide look on.

The Leaning Tower of...Paper? At All School Meeting Monday, Devin Gill challenged student-generated teams to make the tallest free-standing paper tower possible. The winning team: Drew Hartley, Lizzie Ryan, Michael Cooper, Lauren Dunn, and Owen Wattenmaker. 

Enjoy the slideshow!