Buttermilk hosts emerging bilingual students for first ever ski day

Almost 40 Glenwood Springs High School emerging bilingual students skied for the first time at Buttermilk on Wednesday, part of an outdoor initiative to form new relationships, break down barriers, improve academic performance, and give kids a sense of school belonging.

“It’s dissolved some barriers in terms of access to getting out,” said Justin Meagher, who hosted the outing and teaches English Language Development at the high school. “But also between groups, kids who wouldn’t normally hang out with each other (are) getting to know each other outside of the walls of the school.”

Meagher started “Club del Aire Libre,” or “Club of Free Air,” at the high school this year with a goal to widen student-access to the outdoors. Most of the students participating in the club were present in the Wednesday outing. The majority of the club participants are emerging bilingual students, or students actively learning English, but the club is open to the whole student body, according to Meagher.

“We like to do new things,” said a 10th grader, who wished to remain anonymous, between ski lessons on Wednesday. “We learn more about ourselves.”

She added that the outings help them practice English.

“On the school front, with this group of kids, it’s really challenging to go to high school every day and to do it in not your first language,” Meagher said. “That’s hard, and the kids have shown so much courage doing that.”

Heather O’Malley, Glenwood Springs High School counselor, said participating in the club is also a good incentive for students to have better attendance and academic performance. They incentivized the on Wednesday outing through attendance requirements.

“I can’t think of anybody who participates regularly that (has) issues with attendance or academics,” she said.

The club has developed a community that holds each other academically accountable, she added.

“The social emotional piece (of outdoor activity) is really important for them to feel like part of a community,” O’Malley said.

This year, The Club del Aire Libre has also been cross-country skiing at Spring Gulch, hiking at the Maroon Bells and on Red Mountain trails, and ice skating.

High school staff and the community collaborated in a group effort to make the outing possible, according to Meagher. At least 15 staff members donated ski gear and the cafeteria staff assembled 40 lunches for the students. Aspen Skiing Company provided free lift tickets, free rentals, and free lessons for everyone participating. 

Taking up skiing for the first time required courage from the students — and by extension their parents, Meagher said.

“We’re always asking kids to do hard things,” he said. “That’s a lot of what school is about, pushing kids outside that comfort zone.”

He added that the outdoor spaces in the valley have enormous potential to serve as a common ground for shared values, new friendships, and learned lessons.

“We’re making a lot of great memories for these kids,” he said.

Skyler Stark-Ragsdale can be reached at 970-429-9152 or email him at sstark-ragsdale@aspentimes.com.