At Vista Peak Preparatory, the Bison Blizzard Club is working to make skiing and snowboarding more accessible for students who might not otherwise have the chance to experience these exciting sports. This year, the club’s goal is to head to the mountains five times, offering students the opportunity to try something new, build confidence, and learn skills that could last a lifetime.
The program is designed to break down barriers for students from underrepresented socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. For many, skiing or snowboarding feels out of reach due to the high costs of gear, lessons, lift tickets, and transportation. The Bison Blizzard Club provides all of this free of charge, opening the door to a sport often seen as exclusive.
The club runs entirely on donations; community support makes these trips possible. Every contribution—whether it helps cover a lift ticket, transportation, or equipment—goes directly toward giving students access to the slopes. The goal is simple: to provide an experience that’s fun and introduces students to something they can enjoy for the rest of their lives.
Skiing and snowboarding are unique in that they’re not just about physical activity—they’re about building skills like persistence, teamwork, and problem-solving. The mountains offer a different kind of learning environment where students can grow in ways that are hard to replicate in a classroom.
This year’s five trips will give students a chance to learn the basics of skiing or snowboarding under the guidance of experienced instructors. These outings aren’t just about learning a new sport; they’re about building confidence, trying something outside of their comfort zones, and spending time with peers in a setting that’s entirely different from their everyday lives.
The club’s mission is about more than just one trip or one season. It’s about planting the seeds for a lifelong connection to the outdoors and providing opportunities students might not have imagined for themselves. Whether a student continues skiing or snowboarding as a hobby, uses the experience to develop a love for the mountains, or simply takes away the lessons they learn on the slopes, the impact can be lasting.
If you’d like to support the Bison Blizzard Club, your donation will go a long way toward ensuring that every student has access to this program. Every bit helps, and it’s a meaningful way to contribute to students’ growth and experiences.
For more information about how you can get involved or support the program, please contact the Bison Blizzard Club at shhaven@aurorak12.org. Together, we can help more students take part in an experience that’s as fun as it is impactful.
