Feel like skiing/riding have become unaffordable? Think teens fear the outdoors and do nothing but play video games? Sandpoint Middle School teacher Adam Tajan has an answer to both.

This winter, seventh and eighth graders at SMS have a Wednesday option. For a reduced price (underwritten by Realm Partners Real Estate, an anonymous donor and Schweitzer Mountain) they can ski or ride during the school day. This has provided a huge incentive for the students as there is of course, a caveat; students must stay caught up on their course work and behaviorally be members in good standing. However, according to 13-year-old skier Audrey Petruso, “keeping up on school work is easy if you stay organized.”

As a physical education teacher (and even more so, a promoter of outdoor activities for area youth) Tajan is concerned about teen screen time. Feeling like one fourth grade ski trip (Bonner County fourth graders receive a ski day non gratis) was not enough to promote a lifelong mountain sports ethic, Tajan contacted Schweitzer Mountain Resort last spring. The resort was thrilled and put together an extremely reasonable package; not only was this snow sports recruitment for the mountain, it employed Snow School teachers in the middle of the week. Students would receive eight lessons, rentals and a season pass.

All that remained was transportation. Middle school principal Casey McGlaughlin worked with Lake Pend Oreille School District Transportation Director James Koehler and the vision was a reality.

Expecting around 20 seventh/eighth graders to participate, Mr. Tajan pitched the program to middle schoolers and parents at August’s orientation. The result was overwhelming; 106 middle schoolers committed and have been participating since Jan. 8.

On the night of Tuesday, Jan. 14 the mountain received a foot of fresh powder and on Thursday morning seventh grade boarder Matthew Bryan could not stop talking about his Wednesday. In his words “that was the best school day possible!” But, perhaps seventh grade boarder Marshal Burnett said it best, “leaving Schweitzer on Wednesday was really hard.”