Students participate in snowboarding program
Students from Mt. Scott Learning Center are participating again this year in “Learn to Ride,” the nationally recognized snowboarding program sponsored by SOS Outreach. The nationwide program is conducted locally over five weekends at Mt. Hood Timberline ski area.
SOS provides high quality recreation programs to youth who benefit from the structure and consistency of the SOS curriculum. The primary aim of SOS is to reach out to at-risk and underprivileged youth through high quality, local, and national resilience-based snowboarding programs. Through these opportunities, and the adult mentor relationships that are central to the programs, SOS youth participants build strong morals, self-esteem and interpersonal skills.
The Learn to Ride program is an outdoor mountain adventure experience designed for youth with risk factors in their lives. In concert with learning how to snowboard, the SOS Learn to Ride curriculum promotes a positive self-image and teaches social competencies and positive values. The SOS core values include Courage, Discipline, Integrity, Wisdom, and Compassion.
Learn to Ride participants are provided with five days of professional snowboard instruction, equipment rental, lift tickets and clothing. Utilizing the fast learning curve and “cool factor” of snowboarding, students are able to overcome fears, reach new goals and discover new possibilities in a relatively short time frame.
This year’s partnership with SOS also includes some returning high school students participating in the University Program, an advanced option for students who have completed the Learn To Ride curriculum. In addition to the five ride days at Mt. Hood Timberline ski area, the University Program also includes in-depth mentorship and an increased commitment to the community.
Students participating in this year’s University Program team with an adult mentor and complete a life skills workshop centered on healthy eating. Additionally, these students complete two days of community service at a local non-profit organization. It is the goal of the SOS University Program that students continue to explore the five Core Values of SOS and transfer this learning outside of their snowboarding experience.
