2021 Issue | The Starting Gate

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE The History of Stratton Mountain School 2020-2021 Annual Giving Report Flying High: The Simpson Center for Action Sports Going the Distance: Integrating Mental Performance

HEAD OF SCHOOL Carson A. Thurber '02

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL Holly Wendell EDITOR Ashlee O’Hara CONTRIBUTORS Elle Gilbert '12

Cherise Madigan-Forbes

Kimet Hand

Katy McNabb

Sally Hogin-Ragland

Ashlee O’Hara

Mary Ives

Wendy Schriebl

Hank Kosinski

Robert Stevenish, II Carson A. Thurber '02 PHOTOGRAPHY

Stratton Archives

Ashlee O’Hara

SMS Archives

Jesse Mallis

George Forbes

Hubert Schriebl

Catherine Harnden

Stratton Mountain Resort COVER ART Naoya Seki '93 & Brian Sage LAYOUT & DESIGN Holly Mirenda MISSION STATEMENT

Stratton Mountain School provides a unique environment that offers each student the opportunity to pursue excellence in competitive winter sports and college preparatory academics while developing strong personal values.

COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER The Starting Gate magazine is published once a year

by Stratton Mountain School. Editorial submissions are welcome and should be addressed to the Stratton Mountain School Communications Office.

Copyright 2021 7 World Cup Circle, Stratton Mountain, VT, 05155

gosms.org Facebook.com/StrattonMountainSchool Facebook.com/StrattonMountainSchoolAlumni @stratton_mountain_school @strattonmountainschoolalumni @StrattonMtnSch

A Message from the Head of School 4 The Class of 2021 6 2021 Plans & Awards 7 The Learning Center 8 Going the Distance 12 2021 Winter Ball 14 Athletic Highlights 18 The Simpson Center for Action Sports 24 Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence 26 It's a Family Affair 30 From the Board 38 Meet the New Trustees 39 Annual Giving 42 The Finish Line 46

Carson Thurber, Hawkins Thurber, Prune Thurber, Basil Thurber, Ali Wassick

A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Carson A. Thurber '02 Dear SMS Alumni, Parents, and Friends, I am incredibly proud to bring you this special issue of The Starting Gate, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Stratton Mountain School!

From its humble beginnings to its emergence as one of the top winter sports academies in the nation, Stratton Mountain School has made great strides in its pursuit of academic and athletic excellence. This year’s Starting Gate aims to pay homage to all of those who have helped SMS become what it is today—a world-renowned institution.

As Head of School and an alumnus, I feel a deep sense of pride and satisfaction when I see the positive impact our school has had—and continues to have—on multiple generations of student-athletes from around the globe. Over the last 50 years, nearly one thousand student-athletes have been able to hone their academic and athletic skills at Stratton Mountain School while developing a level of maturity, self-discipline, and character that is truly unmatched. As you read these pages, I hope that sentiment becomes shared by everyone in our community.

As we look ahead to the challenges and goals of 2021-2022, we turn to you, our parents, friends, and alumni, to request your generous participation in the SMS Annual Fund. Like most independent schools, Stratton Mountain School has a gap between tuition and the actual cost of a student-athlete’s education. Your consistent support enables us to bridge that gap while continuing to provide an outstanding educational experience for every student-athlete. By making a gift to the SMS Annual Fund today, you will be supporting all aspects of the Stratton Mountain School, ensuring that we continue to be a leader among winter sports academies and, in many ways, among all high schools, for years to come.

Our mission remains the same: to provide a unique environment that offers each student the opportunity to pursue excellence in competitive winter sports and college preparatory academics while developing strong personal values. Your generosity is greatly appreciated by everyone at SMS, and we recognize it as a tangible reflection of your pride and support in SMS. Thank you for your support and commitment to excellence.

Sincerely,

Carson A. Thurber ’02 4

THE STARTING GATE | 2021

CELEBRATE WITH US! Winter Ball • 1.29.22 SMS Après at Grizzly’s • 2.12.22 SMS-A-Thon •

3.11.22

Community Celebration • 6.10-12.22 Alumni Day • 6.12.22 Golf Invitational at Ekwanok Country Club • Holiday Party & Emo Henrich Awards •

8.17.22

12.4.22

Alumni Ski Trip to Austria & Other Events •

TBA!

Giving has never been easier!

Visit gosms.org/support-sms/make-a-gift Return your gift in the enclosed envelope Pam Fletcher '81

Call 802.856.1120

On June 11, 2021, twenty-four Stratton Mountain School seniors prepare to graduate. It is the first time they do not have to wear masks or practice social distancing around their classmates in months. Their excitement is palpable.

The Lieutenant Governor of Vermont, the Honorable Molly Gray ’02, addressed the Class of 2021 as the Keynote Speaker. She urged the graduating class to create opportunities by cultivating their passions, curiosity, perseverance, and ingenuity.

The sound of bagpipes warming up tells attendees it is time to find their seat. The seniors quietly find their place in line for the processional. A young man tightens another’s tie. A young woman pushes a friend’s bobby pin back into place.

"There will be moments in life that, while different from a jump, a half-pipe, a 5K, or a slalom course, will require you to dig deep and draw on similar skills. It turns out, for example, that running for office is a lot like ski racing. You have to be really disciplined.

You have to take care of your mental health and avoid getting dragged down. You have to realize that there are going to be days that won’t go your way."

With a smile and a nod, Assistant Head of School Holly Wendell invites the seniors to descend the Patti Kaltsas Art & Education Building’s stairs. The graduates walk in pairs across Luckenbill Field and take their seats for their in-person Graduation Ceremony, an event that no one could have predicted just a few months earlier.

"The word ‘monumental’ has been used countless times to describe graduating classes around the world, especially in the last year," began Head of School Carson A. Thurber. "But to describe this group of individuals with such a blanket phrase would diminish the outstanding academic and athletic feats of the graduates who sit before me. You have set a new standard for excellence—you have raised an already high watermark."

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"It is important to stay focused, to stay positive, and to remember what you are doing and why you are doing it. Have faith that the skills that you’ve learned right here—day in and day out, on and off the snow—have prepared you for whatever you decide to do next."

With the awarding of their diplomas, those 24 seniors became the newest members of the Stratton Mountain School alumni community.

We are incredibly proud of you, Class of 2021, and wish you all the best in the future.

THE STARTING GATE | 2021

Senior Awards Founders’ Award Harrison DiGangi

Freeski Achievement Award Charles Gnoza

Faculty Award Jacqueline Culver & Anna Davis

Freeski Improvement Award Pierre Verville

Lisa Tuttle Award Jessica Owles

Freeski Coaches Award Ben Bodett

SMS Alumni Association Award Jessica Owles & Brett Haber

Freestyle Coaches Award Lauryn Socha

Vermont Principals’ Association Award Chloe Lathrop & Yuto Takai

Nordic Achievement Award Mathias Boudreau-Golfman

Anna Davis PG Year in Park City, UT

Jay Leach Award Sage Freeman

Nordic Improvement Award Stine Koch

Harrison DiGangi Colby College, PG

Patti Kaltsas Art Award Pierre Verville

Snowboard Achievement Award Victoria Powers & Cole Paraiso

Alpine Achievement Award Jacqueline Culver & Harrison DiGangi

Benjamin Bodett Colorado College Mathias Boudreau Golfman Bates College Caitlin Collins Santa Clara University Jacqueline Culver Brown University, PG

Patrick Flaherty St. Michael’s College Sage Freeman Colby College Charles Gnoza U.S. Freeski Rookie Team

Undergraduate Awards

Brett Haber Colby College

Headmaster’s Award Eliza Sullivan ’22 & Miley Bletzer ’25

Alpine Coaches Awards Ainsley Goodman ’25 & Tomas Holscher ’25

Jai Hunter University of Utah

Rebecca Ann McGill Award Sofia Di Bitetto ’23

Freeski Improvement Award Joe Steinman ’23

Amelia Jones Colby College

Micki Abbenhaus Award Eva Morin ’22

Freeski Achievement Award Max Siudak ’22

Peter Burtscher Award Aleix Aubert ’23

Freeski Coaches Award Kaylen Reiley ’22

The Middlebury College Book Award Jack Lange ’22

Freestyle Improvement Awards Nora Scheid ’24 & Oliver Kosinski ’23

The Williams College Book Award Janne Koch ’22

Freestyle Achievement Awards Skylar Slettene ’22 & Gavin Tobey ’22

Victoria Powers University of Vermont

The Harvard Club of VT Award Pedro Holscher ’22

Dee Williams Freestyle Award Charlotte Kosinski ’23 & Gavin Tobey ’22

Michael Puchkov U.S. Air Force Academy

The Schlachter-Mabee Citizenship Award Skylar Slettene ’22 & Benjamin Richards ’23

Nordic Improvement Award Chip Freeman ’23

Caroline Roy St. Lawrence University

Alpine Improvement Awards Simon Baron ’23, Abby Kelleher ’25, John Kelleher ’23 & Eva Morin ’22

Nordic Achievement Award Fin Bailey ’23

Alpine Achievement Awards Aleix Aubert ’23, Tor Borgia ‘25, Pedro Holscher ’22, Haven Loring ’23, Merritt Loring ’25 & Eliza Sullivan ’22

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Snowboard Improvement Awards Charlotte Flowers ’24 & Blake Siebrecht ’25 Snowboard Achievement Award Skylar Koeppe ’24 & Connor Cavanagh ’23

Stine Koch Bates College Chloe Lathrop PG Year in Park City, UT Jessica Owles Colby College Christopher Paraiso University of Oregon

Lauryn Socha Hamilton College Robert Stevenish III Colby College, PG Yuto Takai Clarkson College Pierre Verville University of Utah Mauricio Villavicencio University of Minnesota

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THE STARTING GATE | 2021

Last spring, Head of School Carson Thurber and the SMS Board of Trustees recognized a need to support all types of learners at Stratton Mountain School, especially those with documented learning differences. Under the leadership of Academic Dean Alex Lehmann and Dr. Sally Hogin-Ragland, Ph.D., our new Learning Center will ensure that all SMS studentathletes can meet their fullest potential in our rigorous college preparatory curriculum. We caught up with Dr. Hogin-Ragland to learn more about the program and what it means for our student-athletes.

Q: What does it mean to have a "learning difference"?

To put it simply, learning differences are caused by differences in how the brain processes information. For example, many middle and high school students can find the organization of materials and completion of long-term assignments challenging—typically due to underdeveloped executive function skills. Human beings use their executive function skills every day to accomplish just about everything; they help us plan, organize, make decisions, shift between situations or thoughts, control our emotions and impulsivity, and learn from past mistakes. Other related challenges for students may include ADHD, poor working memory, slow processing speed, and dyslexia. Stress and anxiety are commonly comorbid conditions for students with underdeveloped executive function skills..

Students without well-established executive function skills may struggle with many essential life functions. For example, individuals who have poor executive functioning are more disorganized than other kids. They might take an extraordinarily long time to get dressed or become overwhelmed while doing simple chores around the house. Schoolwork can feel more challenging because they regularly lose papers or start week-long assignments the night before they are due. Some students cannot initiate work or shift from one task to another. This can result in extreme frustration for all parties involved—students, parents, teachers, and coaches.

To learn more about the Learning Center: Please email Academic Dean Alex Lehmann at alehmann@gosms.org, or Dr. Sally Hogin-Ragland at sragland@gosms.org. gosms.org

Q: How will the new Learning Center meet their needs?

Students will build self-awareness by learning about their strengths and using their gained knowledge to overcome their challenges. In the past, these students’ needs were met by a patchwork of tutors, teachers, and friends. However, the support was uneven due to a lack of a centralized program that could cater to students’ individual needs and the high degree of independence students need to succeed on and off the slopes. The Learning Center curriculum will help bolster the organizational skills that don’t come naturally to a student with poor executive functioning, through a mix of specific strategies and alternative learning styles that complement or enhance a child’s particular abilities. These strategies include using a planner, setting time limits, spelling out the rationale and purpose for adopting strategies, and teaching critical metacognitive strategies that enable the child to become an independent and successful adult.

Q: What kind of help is available through the Learning Center?

Through the Learning Center, students in need of an individual education plan or with a 504 accommodation plan will receive direct instruction in a group of no more than three peers, to address goals surrounding executive functioning challenges, including selfstarting, work completion, time management, and organization.

Some students will also receive traditional academic support services across reading, writing, and mathematics.

Learning specialists will also regularly meet with the student’s teachers, coaches, advisors, and related therapists to align efforts, to create an all-around supportive and beneficial educational experience. Coaching and academic staff meet regularly to comprehensively look at how eligible students apply their skills in larger classrooms. We also offer feedback to teachers on what works and what may need adjustments to ensure student success and growing independence.

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THE STARTING GATE | 2021

“

I donate annually because when I look at what was a turning point in my life, what improved my life, the answer is Stratton Mountain School. My hope is that my donation will help others experience the same opportunity I realized. As a side note, making the US Ski Team and racing WC Downhills was not the turning point—it was a by-product. The turning point was realizing I could do whatever I wanted to. I learned determination and persistence at SMS. Cindy Oak Goodin '79

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Elle Gilbert ’12 joined the SMS staff as our Mental Performance Specialist in 2020. Elle views sport as a vehicle to develop extraordinary humans. She is committed to building a community that prioritizes healthy, strong, and agile minds by creating an environment where concepts of acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based commitment strategies are widely supported and reinforced. Here, Elle shares her perspective on the impact of the fully integrated Sports Psychology Program at Stratton Mountain School.

Fin Bailey '23

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THE STARTING GATE | 2021

It is becoming difficult to ignore the global conversation around the psychological ingredients affecting our athletes’ performance and well-being. From grassroots programs to the Olympic stage, there has been a widespread call to arms: we must provide athletes with the resources and the support they need, not only to survive as they navigate the challenges and pressures that come with being a performer, but also to thrive as they pursue excellence in their craft.

Last year, Stratton Mountain School firmly solidified its place as a pioneer among the top ski academies by investing in their student-athletes’ lives and sporting success through a new, fully integrated Sport Psychology program. The truth is that our student-athletes, and their supporting networks, devote a prodigious amount of time and energy to pursuing excellence. By expanding the scope of hard work and preparation beyond the physical realm, our athletes can build the knowledge and tools needed to bridge the gap between their current reality and the heights of their potential. This approach also honors the holistic development of our youth, shifting the focus from mastery of craft to mastery of self through craft.

As humans, our brains are wired to make predictions to construct our lived experience by combining context with experience.

Meaning, mental training is happening all the time. Through the ways we think, perceive, interpret, react, behave, and relate to ourselves and our world, we are laying the foundation for doing all of these things in the future. In other words, the person we train ourselves to be in every moment of our lives—conscious or not—is the same person who will show up in the moments that matter.

At SMS, we want to change the paradigm from mental training aimed at performance and wellness as an extra or an add-on, to something integral to the commitment of what excellence looks like in our current world. To be truly impactful, this needs to be a community-wide initiative—beginning with the investment of our staff and then infiltrating the many aspects of student-athlete life. By offering opportunities to engage in mental performance work on an individual basis, on a team level, through in-class academic perspectives, in training environments, and in onsnow competition scenarios, our student-athletes are supported in attending to their psychological training. This gives them the resources to better develop their minds to move towards their goals and values.

Throughout this past year, athletes have explored how the human mind has evolved to function, uncovered their internal barriers, and begun to develop new relationships with their minds. Teams have worked to identify what they stand for, what

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matters to them, and what shared values make them a team.

They have addressed the critical topics of stress, anxiety, and selfregulation, rooted in building self-awareness and understanding pressure, competition, and the nature of the world they live in. They have begun unwinding hang-ups around the idea of confidence—exploring the role of courage and the unwitting power they have given their feelings to determine their actions.

They have investigated the influence of presence, the practice of mindfulness, and the ultimate goal of mastering the ability to aim, regain, and sustain focus.

Student introspection led coaches to rethink course inspection procedures, start area setup, and course reports. Athletes reconsidered their routines and experimented with their attention during training sessions. Athletes and coaches alike pursued conversations around goal setting, routines, formulating immediate action plans, and engaging in the process of selfreflection. Additionally, athletes dove into the psychophysiology behind "investing in the process," striving to understand their internal mechanisms of self-reward. They embraced conversations around leadership and the practice of kindness, and they opened their minds to look at the impact of social media and technology on their own lives and on the culture of their sport.

Injured athletes on a Return to Sport progression now prioritize psychological readiness alongside physical rehabilitation as they are prepared to step back into the gym, onto the soccer field, or into their boots. This year, biofeedback technology will allow athletes a tangible window into their physiology, understanding their baseline functioning, the experience of stress, fear responses, and emotional reactivity. For athletes looking for a safe and speedy return to snow after injury and those looking to optimize their physiology for improved living and performance, biofeedback provides a method of training and tracking skill development, to help our athletes manage themselves productively across all situations.

Stratton Mountain School has broadened its traditional commitment to excellence by investing in a resource that says to our athletes, "You are more than your accomplishments" and "Who you are here is more important than what you do here." Student-athletes now have the opportunity to explicitly attend to the development and care of their inner life thanks to a schoolwide curriculum intentionally designed to build character and set our student-athletes up for a life of fulfillment. In a rapidly changing world where the demands and expectations placed on young people are steadily climbing, this is the so-often missing piece of the puzzle our student-athletes deserve—as they passionately pursue their dreams.

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Carson Thurber & Alumni Coordinator Morgan Taylor

Stratton Mountain School's Virtual Winter Ball Raises $215,000

On January 30, close to 200 people attended the Stratton Mountain School Winter Ball in support of the Stratton Mountain School Scholarship Fund, which provides student scholarships and educational resources for nearly 45% of the school’s student-athletes. The gala and silent auction, which took place online due to COVID-19 safety concerns, raised almost $215,000, making it the most successful event in its over 50-year history.

Themed "Around the World," the international broadcast was co-hosted by Head of School Carson A. Thurber ’02 and Alumni Coordinator Morgan Taylor.

"While we had our concerns about hosting a virtual event for the first time, our live broadcast went smoothly, and our supporters gave enthusiastically," Thurber said. "In times like these the notion of working together is more important than ever, and our community’s generous support will help many talented studentathletes reach new heights—academically, athletically, and in a variety of other pursuits that build strong personal values."

The program featured a host of live raffle drawings and an online Silent Auction with dozens of one-of-a-kind items and experiences, including a five-night stay at Hawaii’s Kohanaiki Resort, a custom table designed by Vermont Barns, a seven-night stay at the

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Four Seasons in Whistler, B.C., and a custom necklace from Von Bargen’s Jewelry.

The event also featured the annual Neeves Mosaic Cash Call, which was earmarked for improvements to the Stratton Mountain School Luckenbill Field, including spectator seating, installing stairs from the field house to the playing surface, and improvements to the field itself. Thanks to the generosity of the evening’s guests, the cash call raised over $70,000.

"None of this would have been possible without the support of our event committee, sponsors, and donors from around the world," added Thurber. "We are extremely grateful to everyone who has helped us bridge the gap for so many of our studentathletes."

THE STARTING GATE | 2021

PL ATINUM Chrissy & Paul Carroccio / TPW Real Estate

SILVER Gary & Ellen Davis Morton T. Saunders

BRONZE Jessica ‘93 & Shane Baron

January 29, 2022

Kristen & Geoffrey Goodman Christine & Jonathan Needell ‘88 Pets Aloud Veterinary Services Aomi & Todd Richter Sally & Gary Simpson Marianne & Robert Stevenish

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“

I feel so fortunate to have been able to attend SMS, and that's why I remain an annual donor. While they may not be large gifts, I hope my donations help another student have this same opportunity.

Rebecca Hall '82

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THE STARTING GATE | 2021

Ben Bodett '21, Charlie Gnoza '21, Jai Hunter '21 & Pierre Verville '21

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Asher Baron '25

2021 US Nationals — Aspen, CO Harrison DiGangi ’21 National Team Members Diego Holscher ’20: Chilean Ski Team Kay Holscher ’17: Chilean Ski Team Alice Merryweather ’15: U.S. Alpine Ski Team (B Team) Jay Poulter ’20: U.S. Alpine Development Team

Jane Gutchess ’20 PG’21; Qualified and did not attend Jay Poulter ’20 U16 Athletic Results Vermont U16 State Championships Women’s 1st Overall: Haven Loring ’23 Women’s 3rd Overall: Henriette Borgia ’24

Notable Awards

Men’s 2nd Overall: Aleix Aubert ’23

2020-21 VARA Team Henriette Borgia ’24

Men’s 3rd Overall: Alex Huber ’23

Bronson Culver ’24 Bode Gutchess ’25

Men’s Giant Slalom Champion: Aleix Aubert ’23 Men’s Slalom Champion: Alex Huber ’23

Eliza Sullivan ’22

Two additional event silvers and one bronze: ∙ Haven Loring ’23: 2nd in Super G

2021-22 VARA Team Aleix Aubert ’23

∙ Haven Loring ’23: 2nd in Giant Slalom

Haven Loring ’23

∙ Henriette Borgia ’24: 3rd in Giant Slalom

Merritt Loring ’24

U16 SYNC Vermont Cup Series Five individual event victories

2021 Shelly Glover Award (VARA) Eva Morin ’22

1st Overall: Haven Loring ’23

2021 Mickey Cochran Award (VARA) Haven Loring '23 U19 Athletic Results FIS Overall Podiums: 17 FIS Alumni Podiums: 16 2020 US National Championships — Copper, CO Olivia Holm ’19

2nd Overall: Henriette Borgia ’24 VARA U16 Super Series Women’s 3rd Overall: Henriette Borgia ’24 Men’s 1st Overall: Aleix Aubert ’23

FAST FACTS Harrison DiGangi ’21 ∙ Currently ranked 2nd in Giant Slalom and 3rd in Slalom nationally for his year of birth (YOB) ∙ Currently ranked 27th in Giant Slalom globally for his YOB Jane Gutchess ’20 PG’21 Currently ranked 6th in Slalom nationally for her YOB Diego Holscher '20 1st place in Giant Slalom and 2nd place Slalom, Chilean National Championships Pedro Holscher ’22 ∙ 1st place in Slalom, Chilean National Junior Championship SL ∙ 6th place in Giant Slalom, Chilean National Junior Championship ∙ 6th place in Giant Slalom, Chilean National Championship Amelia Jones ’21 1st ranked U19 in Australia for SG, 2nd in Giant Slalom, and 2nd in Slalom Sophie Mahon ’20 PG’21 Currently ranked 1st in Giant Slalom and 2nd in Slalom in Australia for her YOB

George Tormey Series Men’s 1st Overall: Aleix Aubert ’23

U14 Results

Women’s 2 Overall: Haven Loring ’23

Southern Vermont Standings Men’s 2nd Overall: Tomas Holscher ’25

nd

Three Individual event victories

Alec Nolan ’20

Men’s 3rd Overall: Tor Borgia ’26

Jay Poulter ’20

Women’s 1st Overall: Merritt Loring ’25

Spencer Smith ’16

Women’s 3rd Overall: Ainsley Goodman ’25

Stine Koch '21

FAST FACTS

National Team Members Sophie Caldwell-Hamilton ’08: U.S. Ski Team (Retired) ∙ Finished 2nd in the Dresden World Cup Sprints Julia Kern PG’16: U.S. Ski Team ∙ Qualified for U.S. Junior Worlds in 2021 ∙ Finished 3rd in Sprint, 4th in 10k Classic Ben Ogden ’18: U.S. Ski Team ∙ Qualified for U.S. Junior Worlds in 2021 ∙ Finished 3rd in sprint qualifier for 2021 U23 Worlds Katharine Ogden ’16: U.S. Ski Team ∙ Finished 23rd in 2020-21 Tour de Ski Vermont Cup Series Gold: 13 • Silver: 14 • Bronze: 8 Top-ten results: 63 Vermont FIS Series Gold: 5 • Silver: 6 • Bronze: 4 NENSA VT Cups Top-ten Results: 63 Podium Finishes: 30 First place finishes: 11 Fin Bailey ’23 (U16) won every race that he entered.

VT NENSA Eastern State Championships

Fin Bailey ’23 ∙ Ranked 1st for U16s nationally according to U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Rankings (USSA) ∙ Won every FIS and Vermont Cup race this season ∙ Ranked 1st in Vermont Cup and Vermont State Championships Mathias Boudreau-Golfman ’21 ∙ Ranked 5th for his YOB (USSA) ∙ Named to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Regional Elite Camp ∙ Finished 2nd in U18 Vermont State Championships ∙ Finished 3rd in U18 Vermont Cup Jack Lange ’22 ∙ Ranked 3rd for his YOB nationally (USSA) ∙ Ranked 1st for his YOB in the Eastern Division (USSA) ∙ Finished 1st in Vermont State Championships ∙ Named to U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Elite Training Group ∙ Named to U.S. Ski & Snowboard Regional Elite Camp Wyatt Teaford ’23 ∙ Ranked 2nd for U16s nationally (USSA) ∙ Finished 2nd in U16 Vermont Cup ∙ Finished 3rd in U16 Vermont State Championships 50% of the SMS Nordic Team are ranked in the top ten for their year of birth according to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Rankings.

Miley Bletzer '25 was named to the NENSA Eastern U16 Championship team.

Mathias Boudreau-Golfman ’21, Jack Lange ’22, and Janne Koch ’22 were invited to the NENSA Regional Elite Group Camp.

Top-ten Results: 7

Fin Bailey ’23, Wyatt Teaford ’23, David Shycon ’23, Micah Bruner ’25, and Miley Bletzer ’25 were invited to the eastern U16 Elite Devo camp.

NENSA Regional Teams

NCAA Championships

The entire boys’ team was named to the NENSA Eastern U16 and Eastern High School Championship teams.

Top-ten Results: 2; Will Koch ’19 (7th)

Charlie Gnoza '21

Will Haljun '22

National Team Members

Domestic & International Results

Caroline Claire ’18: U.S. Freeski Team

Top 10 results: 84 Podium Finishes: 17 First Place Finishes: 4

Mac Forehand ’20: U.S. Freeski Team ∙ 2nd in World Cup Slopestyle (Olympic Qualifier); Aspen, CO ∙ 4th in World Cup Big Air; Aspen, CO Charlie Gnoza ’21: U.S. Freeski Rookie Team ∙ Currently ranked 3rd globally in Slopestyle for his YOB; ranked 1st in Slopestyle and 5th in Big Air for his YOB nationally. ∙ 3rd FIS Futures Tour Slopestyle; Park City, UT ∙ 5th Revolution Tour Slopestyle; Aspen CO ∙ 6th National Championships Slopestyle; Copper, CO ∙ 17th Junior World Championships Slopestyle; Hintertux, Austria Revolution Tour Events Top-Ten Results: 2 Podium Finishes: 2 Futures Tour Events Top-Ten Results: 5 Podium Finishes: 2 Southern Vermont Series Top-Ten Results: 10 Podium Finishes: 8 First Place Finishes: 5

Eastern Division Mogul Champion LuLu Shaffer ’17 PG’21 Eastern Division MVP Female LuLu Shaffer ’17 PG’21 Eastern Division Most Improved Female Nora Scheid ’24 Junior National Championships Utah Olympic Park, UT 100% of the team qualified (16) Juliet Ragland ’26: 2nd in her age group for Women’s Moguls U.S. National Championships Snowbird, UT Nine athletes qualified: Elliot Deleger ’22, Jolie DesFosses ’23, William Haljun ’22, Charlotte Kosinski ’23, Nora Scheid ’24, Skylar Slettene ’22, Gavin J Tobey ’22 Women’s Moguls Final Jolie DesFosses ’23: 20th Charlotte Kosinski ’23: 28th

Lulu Shaffer ’17 PG’21: 9th Skylar Slettene ’22: 23rd

Women’s Dual Moguls Final Jolie DesFosses ’23: 8th Charlotte Kosinski ’23: 32nd

Lulu Shaffer ’17 PG’21: 28th Skylar Slettene ’22: 29th

FAST FACTS

FAST FACTS

Kaylen Reiley ’22 ∙ Currently ranked 7th in Big Air and 8th in Slopestyle nationally for his YOB ∙ Finished 2nd at FIS Futures Tour Slopestyle - Mammoth, CA ∙ Pre-qualified for '22 Rev Tour

Juliet Ragland ’25 ∙ Ranked 1st in Moguls nationally for her YOB

Maximus Siudak ’22 ∙ Currently ranked 4th in Big Air and 6th in Slopestyle nationally for his YOB

Nora Scheid ’24 ∙ Named "Most Improved Eastern Division Athlete" in 2021 LuLu Shaffer ’17 PG’21 ∙ Currently ranked 16th in Moguls nationally; ranked 7th globally for her YOB ∙ 2021: "Eastern Division Mogul Champion" & "MVP Eastern Division Athlete"

Connor Cavanagh '23

National Team Highlights Alex Deibold ’04: U.S. Snowboard Team ∙ 6th in Snowboardcross at World Cup Veysonnaz, SWI Lindsey Jacobellis ’03: U.S. Snowboard ∙ 2nd in Snowboardcross at World Cup Reiteralm, AUS ∙ 3rd in Snowboardcross at World Cup Bakuriani, GEO Vermont Open Banked Slalom Top-ten Results: 5 Southern Vermont Series Events Top-ten Results: 74

Podium Finishes: 46

First Place Finishes: 18

Revolution Tour Noah Avallone ’25: 15th in Halfpipe, Aspen, CO Connor Cavanagh ’23: 14th in Slopestyle, Aspen, CO Connor Cavanagh ’23: 18th in Halfpipe, Copper, CO Victoria Powers ’21: 14th in Halfpipe, Copper, CO Victoria Powers ’21: 15th in Halfpipe, Aspen, CO Futures Tour Top-ten Results: 9 Podium Finishes: 1 U.S. National Championships Cole Paraiso ’21: 17th in Snowboardcross, Copper, CO

FAST FACTS Noah Avallone ’24 ∙ Currently ranked 2nd in Halfpipe and 16th in Slopestyle globally for his YOB ∙ Placed 6th in Halfpipe, Park City, UT, earning 2021-22 Revolution Tour spot Connor Cavanagh ’23 ∙ Currently ranked 7th in Halfpipe and 18th in Slopestyle globally for his YOB ∙ Placed 3rd in Halfpipe at Futures Tour, Mammoth, CA Victoria Powers ’21 ∙ Currently ranked 6th in Halfpipe nationally for her YOB

THANK YOU TO STRATTON MOUNTAIN RESORT & ALTERRA MOUNTAIN COMPANY FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAMS!

HOW IT STARTED...

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THE STARTING GATE | 2021

HOW IT'S GOING... gosms.org

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Hayley Simpson '06, Sally Simpson, Gary Simpson, Ross Powers '97, Scotty Johnston & Victoria Powers '21

On May 8, 2021, Stratton Mountain School celebrated the official opening of the newly named Simpson Center for Action Sports, formerly known as the Air Awareness Center, and the addition of a state-of-the-art progression ramp. The new ramp represents many years of planning, hard work, and dedication by Stratton Mountain School’s Director of Advancement, Katy McNabb, and the generosity of two long-time SMS community members and past parents, Gary and Sally Simpson.

Measuring over 35 feet tall, the new ramp allows student-athletes to experience the feeling of traveling down the hill and off of a jump with forward momentum, similar to what they would experience on snow. By incorporating this experience into their dryland training, SMS student-athletes are able to take new tricks from the trampoline to the snow more effectively and safely, creating new opportunities for personal progression within their chosen winter sports discipline.

Students from the University of Vermont (UVM) School of Engineering, in collaboration with SMS staff, designed the ramp as part of their capstone course’s final project. The students calculated the proposed ramp’s dimensions and determined the building materials, resulting in a report that helped to guide the ramp’s final design and construction. The engineering and construction team included Beck Engineering and Vermont Barns in Jamaica, Vermont, Foster Architecture in Weston, Vermont, and Mahaffy Metalworks in Walpole, New Hampshire.

"This has been a dream for a long time," explained Gary Simpson, before cutting the ribbon on the ramp. "Back in 2007, everything in the snowboarding community was moving West. I was on the Board of Trustees at the time, and after visiting Woodward on the West Coast, I came back and said, ‘We need something to keep the 24

strength of snowboarding in the East.’ So, after all of these years, it is amazing to see this opportunity for progression become available to SMS student-athletes."

The Simpson Center for Action Sports is a 10,000 square foot building optimized to allow the Snowboard, Freestyle, and Freeski programs to train in a safe and effective learning environment. The building features trampolines, a foam pit, a skateboard park, and a strength and conditioning area. The new indoor training ramp has been integrated into an existing foam pit, allowing students to practice aerial maneuvers safely.

The ramp project enhances the one-of-a-kind training space and will further opportunities for SMS athletes to achieve their goals.

Formulated with safety in mind, the ramp’s design ensures a predictable trajectory, and safety features such as railings to avert early exits from the ramp. With a smooth, continuous surface, the ramp allows for adjustable take-offs and easy drop-in access.

"A progression ramp is a valuable tool in our already impressive arsenal," added Stratton Mountain School Board Chair Bob Stevenish. "It solidifies SMS as the leading action sports training venue on the East coast and, as the parent of an SMS student, I can tell you that it’s one of the most popular places on campus."

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i l y m a A F ffair a st'

For the last fifty years, Stratton Mountain School has offered student-athletes the opportunity to pursue excellence in their chosen sport while providing top-notch academic programming and a unique environment in which to develop strong personal values.

Unbeknownst to some, SMS has also been home to multiple generations of families—with parents and children, coaches and children, and even future spouses all sharing the same experience that our school has to offer. To help us celebrate just how special SMS is, we share a few of their stories with you.

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Carolyn Beckedorff ’85 & Harrison DiGangi ’21 Carolyn always knew that she wanted to be a ski racer. Her parents (after years of her incessant bugging) suggested that Carolyn consider SMS as an option. “I applied, and TD McCormick, the Admissions Director at the time, told me I could attend SMS but that I would be the worst ski racer they had.”

Carolyn, of course, took that challenge and attended SMS as a Winter Term student-athlete for three years.

“My SMS experience impacted my entire life, from learning how to live on my own and managing my time to learning how to race and work hard at whatever I put my mind to. My coaches, Fritz Vallant and Rob Clayton, pushed me to work hard and be my best, and Peggy deSantis patiently taught me how to be a good writer, ultimately influencing my decision to major in English in college.”

After her time at SMS, Carolyn competed for the University of New Hampshire’s alpine team and has had a successful Master’s racing career. She worked for a decade as a coach, where she met her husband, Tony DiGangi, and the two passed along their joy of ski racing to their son, Harrison DiGangi '21.

“My SMS experience has absolutely shaped me into the person and athlete I am today,” explains Harrison, who is currently ranked second in Giant Slalom and third in Slalom nationally for his year of birth.“ Matt Prendergast, Mike Morin, and my dad, Tony DiGangi, have all taught me valuable lessons and pushed me to my goals both on and off the hill. My golf coach, Topher Harlow, also played a crucial role in my time at SMS, ultimately leading the golf team to a third place finish in the state during my senior year.”

Harrison’s advice to the next generation of students? “SMS has great opportunities, and if you take advantage of all the support the coaches and teachers give you, and if you are a respectful and nice person to everyone, especially your teammates, the experience will be incredible.”

Harrison is taking a PG year at Burke Mountain Academy before he goes on to race for Colby College. Carolyn and Tony remain active members of the SMS community.

Jonathan “Mo” Flaherty ’83 & Patrick Flaherty ’21 You’d be hard-pressed to find someone in the SMS community who hasn’t met (or at least heard of) Mo Flaherty, and his love for the school is legendary. We are thankful that, early on, one of his coaches at Berkshire East spotted Mo’s potential as a ski racer and steered him toward SMS. “I've never really felt like there was something I couldn't do, thanks to SMS.” Mo credits house mother Sue Jedlicka and his FIS Coach Hermann Goellner with helping to make his experience at SMS life changing. If you’re ever lucky enough to meet Mo, be sure to ask him about SMS’s summer training regimen, which involved biking from Oregon to Vermont while relying on the kindness of strangers for the use of their yards for camping.

When it came time to select a high school for his son, Patrick ’21, Mo was sure to bring up SMS as an obvious choice. The tight connections his father found here helped influence Patrick to attend. “My dad still talks to his SMS friends to this day; he met them when he was 16 years old and never lost the connection,” said Patrick.

“They still talk on the phone and meet up for ski trips all over the world.”

Like his father, Patrick found a vital support system in the teachers and coaches at SMS. “My favorite academic staff member was Ms. Mangiacotti. She was so helpful in my senior year—staying after class, helping me with my grammar, and giving me more confidence in my writing and discussion skills. My favorite coach was Morgan Korpi ’99. He took me under his wing as one of the weaker skiers on the team and treated me the same as the best skier on the team. He always pushed me to get better in the weight room and on the hill, and he always told the truth about how I was skiing that day or if I wasn’t putting in enough effort in training—without him, I don’t think I’d be the same today.”

Patrick’s step-sister, Maeve Fiske ’20, is also an alum. Said Mo, looking back on his children’s SMS expierences, “If you want your kids to learn to work hard and be independent people, it's an amazing place. I’ve had two kids graduate from SMS with many of the same skills that I learned.”

Mo owns and operates Flaherty Brothers Construction, and lives in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Patrick is a freshman at St. Michael's College, where he has a racing commitment. gosms.org

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Jessica Baron ’93 & Simon Baron ’23 Jessica (Epstein) Baron fell in love with ski racing at an early age. After thriving in the Stratton Weekend Racing Program, her coaches encouraged her to consider SMS as a way to take her ski racing to the next level.

“SMS is a place that fosters hard work,” says Jess. “SMS students work hard in their sport and the classroom, and we ultimately apply this focus in our future endeavors. We develop grit—by pushing through challenging workouts, enduring freezing temperatures on winter training days, and finding time to accomplish academic work.”

Of course, Jess and her classmates also found time for fun. “One of my favorite stories is when a group of us ended up with a long layover in Nashville on our way east from Colorado Fall Camp,” added Jess. “We pooled our remaining cash and took taxis to the Grand Ole Opry. That kind of ingenuity and adventure defines an SMS student!”

Today, Jess’s three children—Simon ’23, Asher ’25, and Miriam ’28—are following in their mother’s footsteps by pursuing ski racing at SMS. According to Simon, who has been skiing for as long as he can remember, it was an easy decision to attend. “I knew it was what I wanted to pursue in life; therefore, I came to SMS to work towards my goals.”

“SMS has shaped who I am today,” continued Simon, “I have gained lifelong friends and memories. SMS has taught me to persevere even when a situation, like my schoolwork, seems hopeless. This school helps you grow and teaches you the ideas needed to carry you through life.

I am very thankful for all SMS has given me.”

As a parent and alumni, Jess could not agree more. “I wanted my kids to have the opportunity to train for their sports while still having a robust academic experience,” says Jess. “SMS provides a unique high school experience with travel, independence, and adventures mixed into academics and athletics!” Jess is currently a middle school science teacher at The Mountain School of Winhall.

Ross Powers ’97 & Victoria Powers ’21 Ross Powers was just 14 years old when SMS Snowboard Director Scott Palmer asked him to join the Snowboard program. The program was still in its infancy, but Ross had made a name for himself in the Green Mountain Series (later known as the Southern Vermont Series), and he saw SMS as an opportunity to take his riding to the next level.

“It was the first year SMS had an official snowboard program, which was in 1993-1994,” explained Ross. “The SMS Scholarship program made it possible for me to attend SMS and allowed me to train full time with a coach while getting a great education and meeting people who shared my passion for snowboarding. All of those things put together really led me to where I am today.” Known by many as snowboard’s first child prodigy, Ross became the first SMS alumni to bring home an Olympic Medal in 1998 (bronze), thanks to his record-breaking halfpipe performance in Nagano, Japan. Four years later, he took home SMS’s first gold medal in Salt Lake City, Utah, for Halfpipe. “My favorite memory has to be attending the first USSA Snowboard Nationals at June Mountain, California in 1994,” remembers Ross. “I won the halfpipe and made it on the first U.S. Snowboard Team. It was such a fun SMS trip.”

So, when it came time for Ross’s daughters—Victoria ’21 and Meredith ’25—to decide where they wanted to attend high school, the choice was obvious. “I have been so lucky to share my SMS experience with my dad,” said Victoria. “He has been able to come to all my competitions and travel the world with me. It is such a cool bond to have your dad as your coach. I will always look back on the fun memories and trips we had!”

Much like her father, Victoria saw the value that SMS could bring to her pursuit of academic and athletic excellence. “Stratton Mountain School taught me time management, hard work, discipline, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I am very grateful for my SMS experience as it has made me the person I am today and has helped me have the healthiest and happiest lifestyle possible!”

Ross has been the Snowboard Program Director for SMS since 2010, and Victoria is happily pursuing her passions as a freshman at the University of Vermont.

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Sverre Caldwell & Sophie Caldwell-Hamilton ’08 The name “Sverre Caldwell” has been synonymous with the SMS Nordic program for over 40 years. Sverre joined SMS in 1980 as a Nordic Coach and spent several years honing the program with a core group of athletes. In addition to his coaching duties, Sverre also taught math, and served as Headmaster from 1992 to 1996.

“During a fall camp in West Yellowstone, a few skiers and I decided to ski into Madison Junction and jump in the hot springs,” remembers Sverre. “On our return ski, the boys started complaining about being tired—I guess five hours of cross-country skiing will do that to you—and I wanted to look tough, so I just kept skiing along without complaints. Then, a big buffalo hopped on the road and started trotting along behind us. When we realized that the buffalo was gaining on us, the boys took off as if they had been shot out of a cannon. I was left in the dust.

Thus sprang the phrase: ‘You don't have to be fast, you just have to be faster than Sverre.’ Luckily, the buffalo lost interest and peeled off of the road, but we all had a good laugh about the experience.”

After shifting his attention back to the Nordic program full-time in 1996, Sverre spent the next two decades coaching some of the best cross-country skiers in the world—including his three children, Sophie ’08, Isabel ’10, and Austin ’10, who all attended SMS. Sverre’s late wife, Lilly Shuell Caldwell ’81, was also an alumna.

“My dad was my favorite coach,” explains Sverre’s eldest daughter, Sophie Caldwell-Hamilton ’08. “He is one of the wisest coaches—and people—in the world, so I feel fortunate that I was able to have him as my coach.”

Sophie has earned a wealth of impressive results on the world stage over the years, participating in three Winter Olympic Games and five World Cup Championships. Following her time at SMS, Sophie raced for Dartmouth before joining the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and the Elite T2 Team.

“I feel very lucky to have pursued my athletics and academics at the level I wanted to at SMS. I could have found other places where I could have done one or the other, but SMS allowed me to do both, and that's something for which I will always be grateful. Many of my best friends today are still the best friends I had in high school, and the time we spent together and the experiences we had provided the foundation for what I know will be lifelong friendships.”

Sophie and her husband, Simi Hamilton, both retired from competitive cross country skiing after competing on the World Cup circuit one final time in 2021. Sverre retired from SMS in 2019 and remains involved in the Elite SMST2 program, which he founded in 2012.

Scott Reichhelm ’76 & Nina Reichhelm ’18 It’s not often that an older sibling follows in the footsteps of a younger sibling, but that’s precisely how Scott Reichhelm ’76 found himself at SMS. His sister, Kim Reichhelm ’78, paved the way for two generations of Reichhelms at SMS. (Their brother, Todd Reichhelm ’82, is also an alum.)

When asked to name his favorite teacher or coach, Scott had a hard time choosing. “Back then, everyone was so unique!” Teachers and coaches—Tim Beck, Jarold Harb, and Len Bugel—all impacted Scott and his journey through SMS. Scott’s daughter, Nina Reichhelm ’18, found a similar support system during her time at SMS. “Morgan Korpi was my favorite staff member, she said. “He was one of the first people that got me out of my shy bubble and always pushed me to achieve what he knew I could.”

When it comes to their favorite story about their time at SMS, Nina is a little more forthcoming than dad: “Getting to live with a whole bunch of people your age was such a fun opportunity at such a young age.” Scott, on the other hand, says he will take his favorite SMS stories “to the grave.”

Both agree that SMS was a unique experience that gave them the necessary tools to succeed off the snow. Scott has enjoyed a successful career as a Master’s skier. Nina is currently a sophomore at Middlebury, where she is a member of the Alpine team and was a 2020 All-American.

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Hayley Simpson ’06 & Danny Davis ’06 Hayley Simpson grew up in New Jersey with her parents, Gary and Sally, and her three sisters, Caitlin, Sadie ’09, and Shelby ’10. During the winter months, Hayley spent most weekends at Stratton Mountain Resort with her family, where she developed a deep passion for snowboarding.

Hayley was a natural on a board, and she quickly rose through the ranks of the Mountain Riders weekend program at Stratton. During this time, Hayley’s love for snowboarding grew, and her desire to be in Vermont full time took center stage.

“My dream was to go to SMS, but it wasn't until I qualified for USASA Nationals that my parents agreed to let me apply,” said Hayley. “I arrived my freshman year at four feet, ten inches, with a full face of braces and a thick Jersey accent.”

Little did Hayley know that she would meet her future husband (and legendary professional snowboarder), Danny Davis ’06, that same year.

“Competition snowboarding was growing more and more important to me—more than any other sports I played—so attending SMS was the logical next step,” explained Danny. “SMS is where I was genuinely introduced to the snowboarding scene.”

After graduating, Danny became the gold standard of Men’s Snowboard Superpipe, taking home back-to-back gold medals at the 2014 and 2015 X Games and a bronze in 2019. He is also the first rider in snowboard history to land three double corks in a competition run.

“Stratton Mountain School is much more than a school or athletic academy,” added Danny. “ It's the place where I made some of the best friendships in my life and met my soon-to-be-wife!”

To this day, Hayley and Danny consider their time at SMS to be one of the most valuable experiences of their lives.

“SMS really taught us to be resilient, to work hard, and the importance of community,” concluded Hayley. “We are both so grateful for our experience—honestly some of our most treasured experiences. Our SMS friends are our life-long best friends.”

Hayley and Danny reside in Truckee, California, where she works as a freelance producer while Danny brings his trademark “steez” to the Burton Snowboard Team. The two plan to wed in November 2021.

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Peggy deSantis & Michael deSantis ’79 For over 35 years, Peggy deSantis set the tone for academic excellence at SMS. She understood the demands of being a competitive winter athlete while maintaining a strong academic load.

Her commitment to achieving excellence in both arenas truly shaped the school’s standards.

“I’ll never forget my 35 years there as a teacher, Academic Dean, and Assistant Headmaster” explained Peggy. “It was an invaluable experience for me—the internal community, the parents (I never met one I didn’t like!), and, of course, the students themselves—a unique and magical blend of all different sorts of individuals who merged into a vibrant community.”

Peggy was first introduced to SMS in 1975, after she, her husband, and their three children relocated from Weston, Connecticut to an antique farmhouse in Vermont.

“My husband opened a dental practice, the kids were enrolled in new schools, and I went in search of a new career in education,” said Peggy.

“A mutual friend recommended me to Don Burke, who was just beginning his tenure as Headmaster, and I was hired!”

Soon after she started, Peggy’s son, Michael deSantis ’79, transferred to SMS to pursue ski racing. Mike went on to race at the University of Vermont before returning to SMS to coach for ten years. After shifting his focus to a technician’s role, Mike spent the next 11 years on the international World Cup ski racing circuit tuning skis, during which his clients won 90 medals.

“SMS truly taught me how to make the most of every opportunity and how to be the very best I could be at something I love,” said Mike.

“Setting goals, achieving goals, and testing my fortitude- all of these factors set me up for life, and to find success in my career as a World Cup ski mechanic for Volkl.”

While Peggy retired from her roles as English teacher, Latin teacher, Winter Term Coordinator, Academic Dean, and Assistant Head of School in 2011, she remains a treasured member of the SMS community.

“I still maintain correspondence with Larry Herrick, and ‘hats off’ to Wendy Schriebl for her many years next to the front office.

And lest we forget, I taught your current Head of School, plus his two older sisters. . .. Such a pleasure!”

Peggy resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and continues to live a very happy life. Mike is the owner and operator of SkiMD. We miss you, Peggy!

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“

What motivates me to donate annually starts with the great experience I had as an SMS grad back in the ’ 80s. Add to that my children went to and recently graduated SMS, and now are doing great in college. My desire in giving is to help continue the SMS legacy and make sure others can continue to experience such a great thing.

George Abdow '84

Ollie Swabey

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Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends: As we embark on our 50th year, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you. Thank you to our Alumni and our students. To our current and past parents. To our teachers, coaches, and administrators—past and present. Thank you to the Stratton community. Each of you has played a vital role in the success of Stratton Mountain School.

From our humble beginnings as a winter tutorial program held around dining room tables, to our beautiful present-day World Cup Circle campus, we continue to strive for excellence at every level. Our academics are top-notch and our triumphs in competitive winter sports are second to none. As a result, our graduates are attending the best colleges and universities in the country. More importantly, we are a caring community in which being smart and motivated are not only the norm; they are characteristics to be celebrated.

2022 will be a year of celebration for SMS. From the annual Winter Ball to our first-ever golf invitational and the return of the ski-a-thon, there are plenty of fantastic opportunities to show your love for SMS. One of the best ways to help ensure a strong future for the School is by making a gift to the 50th Endowment Fund Campaign. A robust endowment is key to the financial future of every educational institution, and SMS is no exception. I hope you will join the Board and me in making a gift to the Endowment Fund in 2022.

On behalf of the Stratton Mountain School Board of Trustees, congratulations to the entire SMS community on a half-century of achievement. I know I speak for many when I say I can’t wait to see what the next 50 years will bring.

Best regards,

Robert J. Stevenish II, Chair Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Robert J. Stevenish, II Chair Managing Director, Citigroup Jonathan Needell '88 Vice-Chair President and CIO, Kairos Investment Management Company

Jessica Baron '93 Educator and Current Parent A. Jeffrey R. Bennett '87 Entrepreneur Gary S. Davis Director and Principal, DKR Capital, Inc.

Morton T. Saunders CEO (retired) and Founder, Dixon & Saunders Printing Andrea Sessa Sayago '93 Managing Director and Chief Compliance Officer, Cowen Investment Management

Darcy C. Ahl '80 General Partner, Ahl Berrien & Partners, LLC

Ann Marie Forehand Past Parent

Rose Serels Senior Vice President and Client Executive, State Street

Brian J. Anton Managing Director, Citigroup

Kristin S. Luckenbill '97 Principal, Heidrick & Struggles

Carson A. Thurber '02 Head of School, ex officio

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H T Meet the New Trustees E D G N Brian J. Anton

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Managing Director, Citigroup

Brian Anton is a Managing Director at Citigroup, where he co-heads the Retail North America Investment Banking business.

He holds an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, where he was a Danforth Scholar. Brian earned his CPA while working at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston, and his BA in Political Science, Economics, and French from Bates College.

Brian, his wife, Kristin, and their two children are avid skiers and snowboarders who are looking forward to becoming part of the SMS community.

Ann Marie Forehand

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Past Parent

Ann Marie Forehand, parent of Savannah '16 and Mac '20, brings her extensive experience as an educator and volunteer to the SMS Board of Trustees. She holds a BS in Early Childhood Education from the University of Vermont and an MA in Early Childhood Education from Fairfield University. Ann Marie has worked at the Downtown Children's Center, the King and Low-Heywood Thomas School, and The Mountain School. Additionally, she has raised funds for the Pan-Mass Challenge, the SMS Winter Ball, and the U.S. Ski Team.

Kristin S. Luckenbill '97

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Principal, Heidrick & Struggles

Kristin Luckenbill is a Principal Consultant in Heidrick & Struggles’ New York City office and a member of Heidrick Consulting.

Prior to her consulting career, Kristin spent 10 years as a professional soccer player in the United States and abroad, and in 2004 won a gold medal with the US Women’s Team at the Athens Olympic Games. Her professional career included playing for the Carolina Courage, FC Indiana, Jitex (Sweden), the Boston Breakers, and Sky Blue FC. With the Carolina Courage, she won the Founders Cup Championship in 2002, and also earned WUSA Goalkeeper of the Year and First-Team All-League honors. She was nominated for an ESPY Award in 2003 for "Best Female Soccer Player." Kristin is still active in the world of athletics, giving motivational speeches and coaching future soccer stars. Kristin is also a member of the Athlete Advisory Board for ZGiRLS, a program designed to empower girls with confidence, courage, and community through the development of mental and emotional fitness in sports. Kristin earned an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s degree in geography from Dartmouth College.

Andrea Sessa Sayago '93

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Managing Director and Chief Compliance Officer, Cowen Investment Management

Andrea Sayago is a Managing Director and the Chief Compliance Officer of Cowen Investment Management. Andrea joined the firm (then Ramius LLC) in June 2005 and was named Chief Compliance Officer in 2011. Previously, she was an Associate in the Investment Management Group at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP where she represented hedge fund sponsors in connection with the development, formation, and operation of domestic and offshore hedge funds, and registered investment companies. Andrea earned a BA from the University of Vermont and a JD, magna cum laude, from New York Law School, where she was also an Executive Articles Editor of the New York Law School Law Review. Andrea is a member of the New York State bar. Andrea, her husband, Ed, and their two sons spend most of their weekends at Stratton Mountain Resort where her sons participate in Stratton's Freeski program.

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the hellman • tarinelli society to benefit the Stratton Mountain School Endowment Fund

A key financial foundation for any school is a robust endowment. Endowments safeguard the School through fluctuating economic conditions. Established in 2004, the Stratton Mountain School Endowment Fund currently stands at $2.2M and is earmarked for the long-term financial health of the School and to provide need-determined financial aid for deserving student-athletes.

Founded by Warren Hellman and Donald Tarinelli in 1972, Stratton Mountain School will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022. SMS has grown from a small school housed in the Hellman and Tarinelli chalets, to the Hotel Tyrol, and finally to our beautiful 10-acre campus. From its inaugural class of 7 to the current enrollment of 141, SMS is proud of our 46 Olympians and remarkable college placement record.

The Hellman-Tarinelli Society honors the Hellman and Tarinelli families’ foresight and generosity and recognizes donors who make a gift to the SMS endowment of $2022 or greater. Members will be invited to an annual reception hosted at SMS by the Board of Trustees and Head of School. Endowment donors will also be acknowledged in Stratton Mountain School publications, online platforms, and in on-campus signage.

Investing in the SMS endowment by joining The Hellman-Tarinelli Society demonstrates a commitment to ensuring our school’s future. It is an opportunity for our community - alumni, parents, past parents, Stratton homeowners, and friends of the School − to create a lasting legacy and support SMS students for generations to come.

Please contact Katy McNabb, Director of Advancement, at kmcnabb@gosms.org to learn more about The Hellman-Tarinelli Society or to join today.

Established 1972 Average Grade Size 25

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Average Class Size 10

Location Stratton Mountain, Vermont •

Course Offerings 48

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Enrollment 141

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Grades 7-12 & Postgraduate

Winter Athletics Alpine, Nordic, Freeski, Freestyle, & Snowboard

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Fall & Spring Sports 11

Athletic Certifications U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Site & High Performance Center, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Certified Gold Club Olympians 46

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Olympic Team Placements 75

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Olympic Medals 6

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Athletes Named to a 2021/22 National Team 19

ANNUAL GIVING SMS Leaders $100,000+ Ellen & Gary S. Davis ∞ Hellman Foundation ‡ Sally & Gary Simpson World Cup Champion $25,000+ Jessica '93 & Shane Baron + Judi & TD McCormick ∞ Morton T. Saunders ∞ Olympic Gold $10,000-$24,999 Chrissy & Paul Carroccio/TPW Realty Efficiency Vermont Kimet & John R. Hand + Julie & F. Graham Luckenbill Mary McNiff & Adrian Owles Christine & Jonathan Needell '88 Charlotte & Rand Neeves '92 Alyssa & David Portny Rose & Scott Serels + Angela & Kevin Siebrecht Marianne & Robert J. Stevenish II + Vermont Agency of Education Olympic Silver $5,000-$9,999 Libby & Robert Alexander Cloudsplitter Foundation Ann Marie & Raymond Forehand + Brook & Michael S. Fulton Linda & Edward M. Gillis '83 David M. Giulietti '99 PG'00 Goldman Sachs Matching Gift Program

Grace Jones Richardson Trust + Linda & Mark Greenberg Abbe & Andrew Haber + Judith Hellman, M.D. '80 + Marco W. Hellman '79 + Jennifer & Shawn McCann Cindy & John Munter Drew Valentine '99 Vermont Community Foundation Olympic Bronze $2,500 - $4,999 Darcy '80 & Jeff Ahl + Allison Barber & Maurizio Bonivento Jessica '93 & Shane Baron + Lara & John Bletzer Vibeke & Bryan Borgia Jessica & Christopher Cardella Nadia & Alwyn Dawkins Betsy & David Epstein Cheryl & Michael Fischer James & Scott Furlong Kristen & Geoffrey Goodman Maria & William Haljun ID One Foundation Lauren Peters & David Joncas Hunter Kaltsas '99 PG'00 Angela & Hank Kosinski Deborah & John Larkin Alexa Raether Maddock ‡ Pets Aloud Veterinary Services Sally & Tom Ragland Rita Ramirez & Tom Bodett SMS Parents Association Ali Wassick & Carson A. Thurber '02 +

David M. Giulietti '99 PG '00, Brie Pike-Sprenger '99, Kim Rogers '99 & Coach Dave Ferraro

World Cup Gold $1,000-$2,499 Michelle & George T. Abdow '84 + Anonymous Jennifer Apgar & Michael Christopher Pat & Robert L. Barnes ‡ Mary Jean Basileo & Daniel Solaz Nancy & Paul Beck A. Jeffrey R. Bennett '87 Catherine M. Bettis '94 Beth & Matthew Boyle Susan Brady & Mustafa Abadan Class of 2020 Corinne Collins Glauke Cooijmans & Erik Moses Jen & Dan Cubell Joyce & John Dahrouge Cindy & Ken Davis Edie DeMaria & Todd DesFosses Meridith & Mark Dennes Jill & Luigi Diianni Nevin & Chris Djoganopoulos Jason B. Epstein '01 + Melissa Faucher Jon Flaherty '83 + Cindy Oak Goodin '79 + Abbi Fisher Gould '75 & Frank Gould Hande & Alexander Hammett Elizabeth Healy '88 Regina Hermann & Matthew Weinreich Rosario Ibanez & Kay Holscher + Michael D. Kaplan '82 + Kimberley & Edward Kelleher Kristine & Adam Koeppe + Daniel Oliver Landy '13 Linda & Jeff Lennox James Luckenbill PG'04 Kristin S. Luckenbill '97 + Melissa & Rob Madden Sandra & Alex Marc Jessie & David Martin Gina Mattes Dewey & Paul S. McNamara ‡ Mountain Realty Kathy & Benjamin F. Needell ∞ Wendy & Paul Olson Richard J. Ross '77 Andrea Sessa Sayago '93 Kristin & Daniel Siudak

Karin & Scott Socha Squad Locker Carolyn & William C. Stutt ∞ Frederic Taylor + Betsy & Rob Wadsworth Carlene & Fritz Wahl '77PG Kari & George Watson Amy & Devin Wolf Richie Woodworth '76 National Gold $500-$999 Arch Capital Group Michelle & Michael Avallone Bank of America Foundation Sara & Gaetano Bavaro Christina & Steven Bergantino Darren S. Bloch '92 Christina & Jonathan Boswell Laura BovaConti Casella Waste System Amy & Marc Cesaratto Cindy & Jonathan Chase Jenn & Jay D. Cherosnick '97 Danielle & Gregg Clark Christine & J. Matthew Collins Jessica & Michael Dell'Aera Emily & Tom Dooley Susie & Peter Dow + East of Equinox Day Spa Alan D. Fletcher '90 Alexandra & Marty Flowers Benjamin Freeman + Heidi A. Frost '83 + Linda Grossman & Craig Katko David Guttman '08 Kimberly Hekking & Francis Fitzpatrick Homestead Landscaping David and Suzanne Hudson Hunter Excavating Pamela & John Jacobi + Mitsuko T. Jedlicka Kristen & Tucker Jones Langway VW of Manchester Nicole & Scott Loring Katy McNabb & Terry Dorsey + Meredith & Mike Morin + Margaret H. & William G. Morton, Jr. Angela & Jason Okie Marisa & Ross Powers '97 ‡ Roxanne Prescott Caroline & Bart Richards

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Richie Woodworth '76

Adria & Michael Schozer George L. Schwab IV Laura Scripture '00 Nicola & John Short Kimberly & Paul J. Sitarz ∞ Denise & Neal Sharpe + Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty Stratton Real Estate Stratton Retail Swany America Corp.

Yoichi Takai Morgan & Tim Taylor + Seth Therrien '00 Hannah W. Tsai '04 David Vaughan '99 Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic Benjamin J. White '99 Sarah '96 & Martin Wilde + Junior Olympic Gold $250-$499 About Face Orthodontics/Dr. Mark Price Alpine Physical Therapy Anonymous Bear Paw Property Management Barbara & David Beckedorff Berkshire Bank Foundation Blue Flame Gas Company, Inc. Kate & Matt Boobar Michele Browne & Michael Culver Leah & Steve Bruner Jana L. Caldwell '83 Nathan J. Caplan '19 Sarah & Charlie Cavanagh + Devon Cheshire '90 Andrea Cranson-Flaherty Maureen & Jeff Crowley

Susan & James DePuy Paola & John De Bitetto Delphine & Stephane Deleger David and Lucille Festa ‡ Barbara & Raymond Finfer Maureen Flaherty + Grace Cottage Hospital/Carlos Otis Health Care Center Rebecca Hall '82 ∞ Boguslawa Holas & Karel Pilisek Carol & Carlo Huber Mary & Thomas Ives + Filippa & Federico Keszti Michele & Philipp Koch Rhonda Lathrop Lori Logan & Hugh Kidd Brian Maggiotto Vanessa & Joseph Mahon Ellen & Joseph Mallia Seth Marx Paula & Patrick McNamara rk Miles Melissa Oliva Kate & George Orme + Paul Weiss Wharton Rifkind & Garrison Anton Poutchkov + Anne Marie & Jay Prewitt Wilbur Rice Jennifer Rockett Sandy & Tom Rose + Rachel Rosenblum & Jamey Fidel Sara & Edward Scheid Margaret L. Schlachter '01 Jeff Slavich Spencer T. Solaz '17 Sue & Tom Stevenson Mary & John M. Stichter

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Heidi Frost '83

Lisa & Jim Sullivan Katie & Charles Swabey Sam Tarrant Tegna Foundation Caroline Tobey Cornelia V. Tuttle ∞ Verizon Foundation Maria & Tomasz Vitas Kim & Donald Wassick Gabriella Thiele Whitbeck '96 Erin R. Davis Williams '01 Eastern Cup Gold $100-$249 Toni-Ann Ammaturo Andersen '02 Anonymous General Atlantic Partners Amy Ayres Marybeth & Jack Bailey Dawn & Terrill E. Barnard Robert Barnes '00 Wendy & David Beauchemin The Beckedorff-DiGangi Family ∞ David & Judith Bell Kristin Dawley & Jack Bell Holly Booth & Russ Raffa Pasquale BovaConti '19 Sophie Bowater Simone Brake Nixon '84 Jane & Robert Braverman Tissha & Joshua Brumm Leonard Bugel Patrick R. Burtis '87 + Camilla Bowater Amanda B. Chase '08 + Meghan A. Connelly '96 Peter Davis Michael deSantis '79 Carolyn & Frank De Maria

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Linda Dell & Robert Shycon Margaret deSantis ‡ Gwen Dougherty James A. Dow '87 Ann Marie Downey Amy & Donald Droppo Theodore Dunn, Jr. + Gail & Robert Ebling Jack W. Elder '14 Payton Elizabeth Alexander '15 Michael Farnum '06 Christine J. Schozer Farr '08 PG'09 Karen & Charles H. Feldman Mac Forehand '20 Savannah Forehand '16 Jennifer Freeman Emily Fryer '16 Jeffrey L. Gaeckle '88 Eleanor Gilbert '12 C. Gordon Megroz '94 Heidi A. Skinner Gordon '05 Trish & David Gutchess Topher Harlow Catherine Harnden Hilary & Michael Hawkins Dianna Hermann W. Lawrence Herrick Jill & Chris Hilgert Tim Hine Jennifer Hopkins '06 Anthony S. Hoyt Susan Illman Kimberley S. Jochl '88 Nathan R. Johnson, III Scott Johnston Natalie Jones Marta Kelly Kate & Bill Koch + Barbara Kolff Todd Kremin '98 A. E. Laidlaw, Jr. ‡ Sarah Larkin & Peter Heyniger Leslie & Steven Latterman Kate Leach Marianne Lipa WT'96 David Lord '96 Shayne T. Lynn '89 + Vivien Malloy Mary & Bob Mangiacotti ‡ Maple Street School Lisa & Chris Marks Timothy Matthews '97

Vienna McLeod '10 Cricket Mikheev Mile High United Way Gideon Scot Applegate Morse '92 Christopher D. Nelson '86 Tracy & Jeff Nelson Andrew K. Newell '02 Carol & David Newell Deb Newson Ashlee & Jonny O'Hara Aili Ojala Blank Rowena Okie Kelly Orme Hall '09 Kayla Partridge Brian Peat Becky & James Pell Susan & Rick Peterson Sarah Piampiano-Lord '98 Hope Pinkerton Valerie & Carl Powell Kelsey & Matt Prendergast Prospect Rehabilitation Ann Puchkov Karen Quinn Todd Rassiger Matthew J. Regan '92 Bill & Dori-Ann Rodrick Danielle Rodriguez & Marc Phaneuf Kimberly E. Rogers '99 Mercedes Henrich Ross '79 Elizabeth Satterfield '90 Keith Schuman '11 PG'12 Richard Schwartz Carrie Sheinberg '90 Hayley Simpson '06 Sara A. Simpson '09 Shelby Jenna Simpson '10 Caitlin Simpson John A. Sitarz II '08 Elizabeth Terzic Smith '00 Stephen Smith John G. Sohikian Catherine Sterling Sarah Stichter '11 Takeshi Tarui '96 Kristian S. Thiele '94 Christopher Thiele Richard Thorley C. Tyler Brinkmann '99 Marissa M. Vasatka '19 Christopher & Lynn Vasatka Scott Veenis '02

THE STARTING GATE | 2021

Cindy & Jay Veenis Vermont Kitchen Supply Mary Via Vineyard Vines Jeffrey Wagner John and Linda Waite Holly & Bob Wendell + Jennifer Williams Bitter '01 Winter Park Travel Thomas C. Wisdom '00 Hayley Wolff '80PG Yankee Driving School Ryotaro Yao '99 Alejandra Zambrano & Mauricio Villavicencio Go Team SMS Up to $99 Alexander Abdow '19 Lauren Abdow '19 Charles "Cort" Ahl '08 Anonymous Jeffrey Avallon Brie '99 & Justin Beckwith '97 Joshua Bedard '03 Lynne Boudreau & Misha Golfman Anne and Patrick Caldwell '12 PG'13 Sverre Caldwell Tyler S. Clarke '90 Austin Cobb '10 Emily Daly Robert M. Davidson Andrew Davis Linda Dell & Robert Shycon Katherine Whitcomb Everson '99

Thomas B. Finan, Jr. Julia Fiske Liam Fiske Maeve L. Fiske '20 Patrick Flaherty '21 Ryan Foster '02 Pamela Frothingham + Giacomo Giorgi '09 Anne M. Guarino '15 William Haljun '22 Virginia & William Hammond Lucy Hamnett + Diego S. Holscher '20 William Horstmann Connor Hudson '11 Alex Jospe Jamaica Kaercher Emma V. Katko '18 Mike Kemmer '81 David Kent Kate E. Kerin '13 KeyBank Foundation Shane A. Koeppe '20 Kazui Kusumi '14 PG'15 Miki & Kazunaga Kusumi Patricia M. Lane '77 Heidi & Greg Lange Mikayla G. Lathrop '17 Steve Lathrop Sandra & Alex Lehmann Austin M. Lilley '16 PG'17 Jesse Mallis + Brian Thomas Mangiacotti '13 Chase W. Marston '08 Heidi Radloff McClellan '90

Shelly McSweeney & Eric Palola '75 Leah K. Montello '18 Christina M. O'Brien '15 Kyle Penny Jamie Pila '20 Kate Webber Punderson PG'90 Erika Hogan Rixon '02 Elena Rogers '08 Katie & Rob Rose Logan Thurber Schleicher '99 Polly and Andrew Schmid Gillian E. Serels '14 Spencer V. Serels '18 Kelly Skinner '07 Jordi St. John '00 James St. Ville '19 Carol & Louis Stannard Elizabeth & Paul Steinman Robert J. Stevenish III '21 Connor Stewart Catriona & John Sumner Kathleen Gould Swenson '93 Donald Tarinelli, Jr. '75 ‡ Emily Thurber '96 Maris Van Slyke Emily Visnic '12 D.J. Wassick '02 Evan B. Wetzel '18

∞ = 15 or more consecutive years ‡ = 10 consecutive years + = 5 consecutive years

Brooke Kaltsas '00 & Hunter Kaltsas '99

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The Finish Line ’74

’78

Phoebe Bouton is moving to Mesa, Arizona, for school. "I'm taking Western Herbalism—I’m so excited," she says. "All my other careers round this out. It's been tough, but I learned in skiing and other life lessons that I persevere with patience. Say hello to the mountain for me—I'll get back there."

Bill Best is enjoying a new chapter in his life after moving to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. "It is so great to be reconnecting with SMS alumni and ski racing friends out here," says Bill. "Really feels like home to be back in the mountains and the ski industry!" Bill manages Business Development for Northland Skis, a reborn legendary brand making hand-crafted premium carving skis in Steamboat— amazing skis! He is also taking full advantage of the awesome skiing and cycling in Colorado!

Sara Radamus is still living in Colorado, is still coaching, and still has the same family.

His kids are well into the start of their careers. Blaze is a Men’s Fashion Designer for the Todd Snyder brand in New York City, and his daughter Taylor is a Managing Consultant Industrial Engineer with Accenture in Washington, DC, and she’s getting married in October! Bill is always looking forward to ripping some runs together with SMS friends! "Let me know if you’re headed to Steamboat anytime soon."

’79 Lisa Feinberg Ballard says, "I'm still working as a freelance writer and photographer, mainly covering skiing and other outdoor activities, conservation and adventure travel. I host master’s ski camps and women's ski clinics around the United States in the winter. One of my old SMS friends, Scott Reichhelm '76, comes to the New England Masters Camp every year. It's always great to see him. I won the women's overall Super G title (for the second time) and my age group title in 2020. I didn't race much in 2021 due to COVID restrictions, but I hope to chase those titles again this winter. I'm in denial about turning 60, but I celebrated with a couple of days of circus school at Club Med in the Dominican Republic, where I got a taste of trapeze and vertical trampoline. Then I went skydiving for the first time.

Yeehaw!"

Patricia Lane '77

’77 Patti Lane is dreaming about retirement, but it is not happening yet. "Quite the opposite, really—I have two full-time jobs and two homes (Tewksbury & Sunderland, both Massachusetts) to take care of!

All kidding aside, I am still working a full-time job at Epsilon in Cybersecurity Compliance & Risk, and I’m a caregiver for my Dad. He turned 93 in July and lives 80 miles from me, where I basically live now.

For ‘fun,’ I golf as much as the weather on weekends will allow, plus one night after work. I love it and being outdoors. I was also biking on the weekends, mostly to get in shape for Trek Across Maine in June, 12 years now. This year, I was the #1 fundraiser at $13,500! In September, I’ll be taking my annual trip to McCall, Idaho to visit my younger sister—a trip I’ve been doing for 25+ years. It is a golf vacation, plus sister time. I treasure any time with friends and family, especially during this pandemic."

Missy Wolff-Burke is in her 23rd year of teaching doctoral physical therapy students at Shenandoah University in Virginia. She, and her husband Bob, spend time traveling to see their kids/grandkids and family/friends, hiking, gardening, and raising bees. Big Sky and Telluride are their favorite skiing destinations and, of course, Stratton, on occasion.

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Lisa Feinberg Ballard '79

Benzi Ross '79, Bill Best '78, Patti Lane '77, Mike Frost '78

Sue Long Wemyss is leading a collaborative book project about the women who cross-country skied in the Olympics for the U.S. The book, Trail to Gold: The Journey of 53 Women Skiers, is due out in November 2021. It shares the sport’s collective history from the first women's team in 1972 through the 2018 Olympians and includes profiles of each skier, most of which are written by the skier. Other Stratton Nordic skiers guiding this effort as members of the eightperson book committee are Leslie (Thompson) Hall '81 and SMS T2 athlete Jessie Diggins.

Mercedes (Benzi) Henrich Ross is still happily living at the base of Keystone in Colorado—riding and skiing daily! She is the executive director of Project Bike Tech, which places bike tech classrooms in high schools. It’s an accredited class for juniors and seniors that teaches students entrepreneurship and math using the bike—"pedaling forward through education."

Benzi Ross '79, Tini Henrich '84

THE STARTING GATE | 2021

’88 Krista Schmidinger says, "It's been on the bucket list to live in Switzerland. Here we are…and it hasn't disappointed!"

Renny Bloch '93

Mo Flaherty '83, Darcy Ahl '80, Cort Ahl '08

Life is good for Renny Bloch. He is raising two amazing girls—Mia (8) and Scout (7)—and is working at a biotech company (Regeneron) running leadership development and executive coaching programs. Due to remote work policies, he got to spend the summer in Vermont, which was magical.

His family still skis at their home mountain, Otis Ridge, in western Massachusetts.

’80 Darcy Ahl has never felt more validated about her sport of choice than she was last year. "To be able to ski, be outdoors, breathe in the cold Vermont air, was a gift beyond measure during the weirdest of years."

Her family was finally able to celebrate their son Kemper's wedding in October of 2020 (postponed from June) on Martha's Vineyard (where Jonny Mo Flaherty '83 took them out for a fantastic harbor cruise the day before the wedding). Cort Ahl '08 and sister Signe added exceptional roasts to the weekend's festivities.

In June of this year, Darcy had such a great time celebrating the wedding of Christine Schozer Farr '08 PG'09 and Albert Farr. "Hildene was just lovely, as was the bride, the exceptional turnout of the class of '08 and some parents as well. So fun!"

Darcy has also immensely enjoyed serving on the SMS Board of Trustees. "Kudos to Head of School, Carson A. Thurber ’02, as well as all of the teachers, staff, coaches, and student-athletes for bringing SMS through the myriad challenges of COVID with flying colors. It was truly impressive."

’81 Cindy Prestwood Edge would like to remind the Class of 1981 that it has been 40 years since you graduated from SMS. Happy anniversary!

’84

’96 Sarah Laidlaw Wilde lives in Shelburne, Vermont, with her husband, Martin, and two daughters. When they aren't in hockey rinks, her family is trying to ski at Stowe and Cochran's as much as possible. She is looking forward to the 50th Anniversary of SMS and Krista Schmidinger '88

’92 Haley Kelly has been living in Park City, Utah, for the past 22 years. "My husband and I have a health and wellness coaching business and two teenage boys that keep us busy," she says. "We spend our free time playing in the mountains—mountain biking, skiing, camping, boating—and watching our son play soccer…lots of soccer. As a side business and hobby, I make and sell jewelry to fulfill my creative passion! If only there were more hours in the day!" She also spends lots of time playing with one of her favorite alumni, Megan Brown Brent ’91.

her 25th ("how is that possible?!") reunion.

David Lord is living in Park City, Utah, with his wife and kids. "It has been an action-packed and funfilled year," says Dave. "Work is busy as always. In addition, I started a rare cancer research foundation, Jedi Cancer Foundation, with some friends in honor of my mother and best friend, who both were lost prematurely due to rare cancers."

"On the family side, everyone is busy. My eldest, Eden, is starting her senior year at Park City High, and my younger daughter, Audrey, is starting her sophomore year at Gomez Tennis Academy in Florida. We are doing a lot of cross-country travel at the moment, but like my parents made sacrifices for me, I am now paying it forward."

Tini Henrich lives happily on her farm with horses, geese, goats, cats, dogs, and chickens in Jamaica, Vermont. She has two grown kids. She also started "Skinny Goose Bakery" and sells her yummy baked goods out of Jamaica’s West River Provisions.

Haley Kelly '92, Megan Brown Brent '91

’93 Tini Henrich '84

gosms.org

Jess Baron and her husband, Shane, say, "We are so excited that all three of our children will be at SMS this year, with two full termers and one winter termer!"

David Lord '96

Ian McAleer is living in Shanghai, China. He tries to ski as much as he can every winter- which usually amounts to 10-15 days a year.

Takeshi Tarui recently moved back to the United States and is living near Chicago.

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’97 Heather Plimpton Drummond and her family are living near Holderness, New Hampshire. All three of her kids ski for the Cannon Franconia Ski Club, and Heather coaches the U8s. She also shares office space with Ryan Welch WT ’94.

time this summer in the Dominican Republic, where her husband is from. Rachel continues to balance a full-time job at SGH Macro Advisors while living the dream. "We have been skiing at a small local mountain called Thunder Ridge, but we might have to make the jump to Stratton soon!"

Margaret Schlachter continues to work at Wasatch Academy, a boarding school in central Utah. In the last year, Margaret has been promoted to Director of Development and is head of the school's alumni relations. Outside of work, she spends time with her partner, Travis, and their dogs, adventuring around the mountain west—whether it be rock climbing, mountain biking, or backcountry skiing. She says, "If any alums are traveling through central Utah, it would be great to see you!"

December 2020," Kaitlin says. "We also moved to Saudi Arabia (no snow here!) in September 2020.

My husband and I are working for the U.S. State Department and we will be posted here through mid-2022. Then, on to the next adventure!"

Chinon Maria "Chichi" Williams-Mitre says, "By the time this is published, my husband Sebastian Mitre and I will have welcomed my first child, a baby boy, into this world. The little dumpling will be a dual national, so looking forward to strapping skis on the kid asap and have him represent the Mexico Ski Team! (Look at me, already a helicopter mom!)

I am still working as a muralist and painter when not changing diapers, and have a great studio in Brattleboro, Vermont. I also work as an art teacher for The Grammar School in Putney, Vermont."

’02 Ben White '99

’99 Ben White says, "SMS taught me to live outside the box, work hard, and follow my dreams."

’00 Bobby Barnes and his wife, Tina, have three children, Emma (9), Callie (7), and Drew (4). They are relocating from Ann Arbor, Michigan, back home to Buffalo, New York.

Molly Gray was sworn into office as Vermont's Lieutenant Governor on January 7, 2021. Molly is the fourth woman in Vermont’s history to serve as Lieutenant Governor. She was also the Keynote Speaker at the Class of 2021 Commencement in June.

Carson Thurber is entering his second year as Head of School at SMS! Carson, his wife, Ali, and their kids, Hawkins and Basil, live full-time in Stratton, Vermont. During the summer months, they enjoy traveling around New England in their RV. DJ Wassick teaches history at Stratton Mountain School and looks forward to doing lots of splitboarding this winter!

PJ Wiebel and his wife Michelle have three kids— Elle (9), Charlotte (9), and Paul (7). They live in New Jersey, where PJ is CEO of Econo-Pak, a high-volume food packaging company with 1100 employees, which packages food for all of the large food companies in the world.

Tommy Wisdom is still living in Bend, Oregon. He just started as the Director of Strategic Partnerships with Tomorrow.io.

’01 Jenny MacDonald lives in western Maine with her family and their two labs on a small farm. She has also been the manager of a sizable veterinary hospital for the past 12 years!

Rachel Roosevelt Reyes lives in Bedford, New York, with her husband and two kids, Eleanor (5.5) and Arthur (4). They took advantage of their "work from home" policy and spent a good amount of

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Chichi Williams '03

’04 Peter Lodi and his wife, Whitney Hardeman, just celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary! They are living in Big Sky, Montana. Since 2004, Peter has owned catering companies in Montana and Edgartown, Massachusetts, where he and his family spend the summer. He has launched a line of organic superfood bites for active lifestyles with Eaton Hemp.

Carson Thurber '02, Sydney Mikkelson Koop'02 and David Koop'00

’03 Howard Foote started an apparel agency that imports outdoor, streetwear, and fashion brands to North America. Since the pandemic hit, he has been pretty nomadic—moving out of New York and spending time in Connecticut, out West, and in Nantucket while working from home.

’05 Rachel Beckwith is living in Stamford, Connecticut. She works at the Jewish Community Center as an executive assistant to the CEO, and she still sees many of her SMS classmates.

Courtney Stevens is a licensed clinical psychologist in Vermont and New Hampshire. She is currently on the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth.

2020 and 2021 were big years for Kaitlin (Fox) Nitta and her family. "I got married in February 2020 and we welcomed our first child, Miles, in

THE STARTING GATE | 2021

’06

’08

Last May, Jennifer Hopkins celebrated four years as a Physician Assistant at the Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic in Rutland, Vermont. She and her husband bought a home in Rutland Town in October 2019 and did lots of "pandemic projects" in their first year as new homeowners.

Cort Ahl moved from New York City to Greenwich, Connecticut, in early 2021. He has been married to his wife, Anne, for a little over three years. Cort is a Principal at Volery Capital Partners, a growth equity firm, where he focuses primarily on investments in fintech companies. He says he has "been lucky to keep skiing every year since I became an ‘adult’ after college, and otherwise get outdoors whenever I can!"

"We love living close to Killington and Pico Mountains where we spend our winters downhill and backcountry skiing, and summers mountain biking," says Jennifer. "I often run into former classmates and coaches in the area and love keeping those friendships and connections going. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing many alumni at The Killington World Cup in November!"

’07 Nicole Bielak Nault and her husband, Andrew Nault ’06, currently live in Saratoga, New York.

Nicole is a teacher in Schenectady and an event planner in Lake George. She and Andrew coach at Stratton on the weekends in the winter.

Kelly Skinner '07

gosms.org

Kelly (Orme) Hall moved from Burlington, Vermont, to Stowe with her husband in May. They are working on some home renovations. They love living in Stowe, and they are looking forward to a great winter of skiing. They celebrated their first year of marriage this August as well!

Elena Rogers is starting her third and final year of law school at Gonzaga University in Washington.

After graduation, she plans to work as an estate planning attorney.

Christine Schozer Farr is a Producer at NBC News. "In addition to my everyday duties, I've been working on some Olympic profiles for the local stations to air this summer, which is always fun. I love to work on sports whenever I can," she says.

"The bigger news, I finally got married to Albert Farr.

We had to postpone due to the pandemic, but it was worth the wait. It was so great to have all our family, friends, SMS alums—all celebrating together."

Kelly Orme Hall '09 wedding

’10 Paige Chardavoyne graduated from medical school in May and began psychiatry residency training in Milwaukee, Wisconsin! She is excited about this new chapter and also looking forward to catching up with her former teammate, Morgan (Klein) Ogle '11 PG '12'13, in nearby Madison!

Mae Foster Hickory had a handsome baby boy, Percy, in October 2020!

Kelly Skinner is a 500hr E-RYT Yoga Teacher, Mindfulness & Energy Practitioner. She approaches both her life and her work with awareness, aliveness, and compassion. Kelly has combined her unique gifts of seeing the beauty in others, singing, leading, healing, and sharing love through the art of leading asana and kirtan, offering reiki, and teaching how to live yoga off the mat in her group and one-onone programs. She is also an End of Life Doula, as her aim in this life is to help people live radiantly and leave their bodies gracefully. She resides in northern Vermont, and you can find her outside in nature, hiking, biking, skiing, skinning, and sharing love wherever she goes. She hopes to share the transformational effects of a practice rooted in Bhakti, divine love, and devotion through her teaching.

husband, Aaron, and our hobby farm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan."

Christine Schozer Farr '08 wedding

’09 Caroline Barry moved from New York City to upstate New York with her fiancé, Justin. She is a graphic designer/illustrator.

Emily Bamford lives in Melbourne, Australia with her fiancé, Ed. The two hope to get married by the end of the year. Emily recently finished working as a presenter for Tennis Australia and will be working as a segment producer for the seven-network coverage of the 2022 Winter Olympics!

Austin Caldwell lives in Boulder, Colorado, where he works for the university as the Assistant Ski Coach. Austin married his long-time girlfriend, Emily, last summer!

Lizzie Beerman lives in Silverthorne, Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their two dogs. They are expecting a baby girl on December 3rd and are super excited to be adding a little adventure buddy to their family!

Joe Mensch is living in Westhampton Beach, New York. He is a physical education teacher and coach for eight months of the year. He manages a beach club in Bridgehampton and his surf school, Shipwreck Surfing, during the summer months. He still gets on the hill a few times a year!

Karmen Whitham-Cutlip has been freelancing as an exercise physiologist and coach over the last few years. "One of my contracts morphed into my current Marketing & Nordic Communications position with Bliz Eyewear + EnjoyWinter, while keeping my toes in applied research," says Karmen.

"The job that keeps me most busy and fulfilled, however, has been becoming a new mom to my son, Oakley. I’m enjoying my budding new family with my

Stefan Schmidt says, "Since graduating SMS, I spent four years at the Naval Academy followed by six years of active duty service as a Logistics Officer.

I recently left the service and am currently pursuing my MBA at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The skills and lessons learned from my time at SMS were foundational for my naval career and will undoubtedly stay with me for any future endeavors."

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’11 Kelly Appenzeller proposed to her partner, Michelle, along the Potomac River in Washington, DC, in March 2021. Throughout the pandemic, they have enjoyed raising their rescue pup, Indiana Jones, rock climbing, and going on camping/hiking trips throughout the Adirondacks and the White Mountains. Kelly is teaching Michelle how to ski and is definitely using her skills from SMS to be a great coach. Currently, Kelly is the Director of Development for a nonprofit in Washington, DC, and is the cycle lead for Equinox Fitness Clubs in the DMV area.

Kelly Appenzeller '11 proposal

Cambria McDermott has moved back to Vermont after spending ten years in Montana. She will be at UVM for the next four years, getting her DNP degree to become a nurse practitioner.

Morgan Ogle says, "Jay and I finally got married over the summer back in Vermont! It was great to catch up with some of our SMS family there. We live in Madison, Wisconsin, and are working hard at our store LeanFeast, which we opened in April 2020. Any downtime we have (which is little), we try to get a workout in at our local CrossFit gym or get out on the lake for a ski with the family.

Morgan Ogle '11 & Jay Ogle '10 Wedding

’13

’16

Francesca Occelli is a pharmacist and future nutritionist living her life to the fullest in the North of Italy. "It has been tough in these past months, but I'm looking forward to restart with new goals," says Francesca. "Sport, and skiing especially, is still an important part of my life. I hope to be able to keep my passion alive! Growing up too fast, but happy to have lived so many wonderful experiences like SMS back in 2012-2013. I can’t believe it's almost been ten years!"

Emily Fryer is living in New York City and working for a startup that does eCommerce consulting. She just got back from a trip to the Jersey Shore with a bunch of her classmates from SMS - Lyzee Stichter '16, Sarah Mangiacotti '17, Austin Lilley '16 PG'17, Tyler Wetzel '16 PG'17, Hunter Rodrick '16 PG'17, Aidan Cohane PG'17, Brian Mangiacotti '13, and Gillian Serels '14! (right)

’15

Katherine Ogden is skiing for the SMS T2 Elite Team and the Davis U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. She recently graduated from Dartmouth with a major in Psychology and she is starting a remote graduate program through Columbia, with a focus on Social Work.

"I began my career at SMS intending to become the best version of myself as an alpine skier," says Gavin Chen. "Almost ten years later, I have found my experience at SMS did not entail just ski racing but also more of a personal journey of self-growth, reflection, and humility. I look back fondly at my experience at SMS, and I hope to continue to carry the life lessons I learned there into my future career in dental medicine."

Sebastian Konecsny moved back to New York, after being in Vermont for work, about a year and a half ago. He recently started a new job in the financial services industry, which he likes a lot, and he’s been able to travel, which has been great. He keeps in touch with the SMS boys, and they see each other whenever they make it to the East Coast!

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Annie Mahon is enrolled in a Juris Doctor program at the University of Melbourne Law School.

’17

Mikayla Lathrop '17

Josh Hybl graduated from Villanova and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps this spring. He will be reporting to the basic officer course in Quantico, Virginia, on October 4th, and then he will be moving to Pensacola, Florida, to start flight school.

Mikayla Lathrop just signed a lease in San Francisco, California, where she will be working in the Finance Futures Program as a Financial Analyst for eBay. She completed the Long Trail, Teton Crest Trail, and Timberline Trail while road-tripping from Vermont to California this summer!

Hana Kusumi is an incoming junior at St. Louis University. She is double majoring in Government and Philosophy with a minor in Education.

Viktoria Zlomanova moved to Vancouver for graduate school. She is excited to obtain her Master's!

THE STARTING GATE | 2021

’18

’20

Annie Parkhurst is heading into her senior year at Boulder, studying Strategic Communication and Urban Design. She is currently working as an assistant in interior design and as an intern for a financial tech start-up!

Gavin Blauch is starting his sophomore year at the College of Saint Scholastica. He is an RA this year!

As a summer job, Gavin guided fishing trips in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota.

Evan Wetzel will be a senior at Clarkson University studying Mechanical Engineering. "Our Men’s Alpine team qualified for USCSA Nationals both my freshman and sophomore year, but there were no nationals or any college races this past season due to COVID-19," says Evan. "We still made the best of it and did a ton of USSA/FIS racing at Whiteface.

Looking forward to hopefully a normal season this year! This summer, I was a Systems Engineering Intern at Lockheed Martin RMS Syracuse, and I’ll be looking to apply for full-time jobs at Lockheed."

George Bond jumped straight into chasing his dreams after graduation. "I’ve used studying remotely from college as an opportunity to work and to experience more of what life has to offer," says George. "While studying pharmaceutical business at MCPHS to graduate a year early through summer classes, I wholesale electronics to companies in the USA, and I just branched out to exporting electronics to Bulgaria. International business has been a passion of mine because it allows me to travel across the world. SMS allowed me to envision my goals and gave me the necessary steps to achieve them mentally and physically. It is a school like no other, that will forever have a place in my heart."

This summer, Asa Chalmers has been training in Bozeman, Montana, and will be starting at Dartmouth College this fall.

Maeve Fisk ran a sailing program on Martha’s Vineyard this summer. After a long and fun summer, she is getting ready for her sophomore year at Babson College, studying business, skiing, and running her cooking and cleaning business.

Tyler Wetzel '16, Evan Wetzel '18

’19 Alex Abdow is on the Alpine ski team at St Michael’s College, where he is majoring in Business.

Olivia Holm is entering her sophomore year at Dartmouth College. She attended a productive training camp in Les Deux-Alpes, France, last summer. "It’s been the best of both worlds," she says. "College skiing has been so rewarding both academically and athletically!"

Sophia Holm is entering the second semester of her Sophomore year at Middlebury College, where she studies Political Science and Geography. Outside of class, she is a project leader for the Middlebury Consulting Group and the Student Government Sophomore Committee.

"Hello SMS community," says Marissa Vasatka. "I wish I could say I’ve been traveling and participating in awesome training camps like many of our athletes, but sadly that is not the case. I have been working hard to play harder as I prepare for my study abroad travels this school year. However, I’ve enjoyed time with friends and travels to Florida when I have not been working. Happy 50th to SMS, and I can’t wait to see what the year holds for everyone!"

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Zylis Hawkins "I am currently in the interviewing process. Aside from that, I have spent countless hours painting and sanding decks and selling aboveground pools through my small retail arbitrage business."

Kelly Quinn '20

’21 Harrison DiGangi is taking a PG year at Burke.

Brett Haber traveled to Saas-Fee, Switzerland, to ski this summer.

"I have been enjoying my last summer at home before college," says Jessie Owles. "I managed to get back to England to visit family and was able to see the UEFA Euro 2021 cup final, which didn’t exactly go the way I wanted. I’m super excited to be heading up to Colby to start my field hockey preseason very soon, and see some of my fellow SMS classmates as we start our new journey in college!"

Daniel Leikin graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger Training Assessment Course and will start Ranger School at the end of August.

Jay Poulter was named to the U.S. Alpine Development Team earlier this year. He is living between Park City, Utah, and Vermont.

"After graduating from SMS, I was recruited for the women's crew team at Syracuse University and had been rowing for them ever since," says Kelly Quinn. "The endless opportunities SMS provided me has given me a ‘try anything' type of attitude and has led me to so many new life experiences."

Passings Madeleine Talkington '07 Holly Dineen Russell ‘87 Peter Federa ‘80 Pierce Fulton, past student Lora Grey, past parent Tom Head, past trustee Susan Molly Arnold Wheeler, past parent Roger Daley, M.D., past parent

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Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Brattleboro, VT Permit No. 79

7 World Cup Circle Stratton Mountain, VT 05155

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