Resort sets new snowfall recordThe record for the most snowfall in a month at Alyeska has been broken. Alyeska received 283 inches of snow, almost 24 feet, in December, breaking the previous monthly record of 274 inches set in January 2001 and far exceeding the previous December record of 247 inches in 2003. |
Alyeska Resort and The Alyeska Ski Club are set to host the Western Region FIS U.S. Nationals Qualifying speed events on Jan. 22-28. The Elite Series will include two Downhill and two Super Giant Slalom (Super-G) races.
Although it is a Western Region event, the best alpine ski racers and teams from across the country will convene for the chance to qualify for the U.S. National Alpine Skiing Championships. These qualifiers will give athletes the same chance to run the same track as the U.S. National Alpine Skiing Championships which are also being held at Alyeska Resort on March 27-April 3.
The Elite FIS Series is a sanctioned event under the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the United States Ski Association (USSA), the governing body for alpine ski racing in the United States and the home of the U.S. Ski Team.
To host an Elite FIS event is considered to be a major recognition in the ski racing world. According to U.S. Ski Team Western Region Competition Director Lester Keller, Alyeska Resort is one of the premiere alpine speed event venues in the country. So much so, that Alyeska is again hosting the U.S. National Alpine Skiing Championships for the second year.
“Alyeska is just an amazing race site,” says Keller. “The Downhill is among the best in the world.”
This year’s Downhill and Super-G events will run from the top of the mountain to the bottom, allowing the racers to reach speeds in excess of 65 miles per hour. Spectators will be able to catch the nation’s best aspiring ski racers from the base of the mountain or by chairlift. Past winners of this event include Olympic Champions Tommy Moe and Megan Gerety.
For more information and events schedule, please visit www.alyeskaresort.com or for more information regarding the Alyeska Ski Club, please visit www.alyeskaskiclub.org .
By Lana Johnson
Special to the Turnagain Times
Girdwood 2020 created two scholarship programs for Girdwood students and donated $2,000 to the new library/community center.
“The library donation takes us closer to putting books on the shelves,” said Diana Stone Livingston, Girdwood 2020’s Co-chair. “This is a much-needed project we have long supported.”
The donation will help the community reach its $100,000 cash match to qualify for a $200,000 challenge grant from the Rasmuson Foundation. The money will be used to purchase furnishings, equipment, books and resource materials for the new facility.
Girdwood 2020 funded 10 scholarships for the Girdwood School’s ski program, which was created to “provide an affordable way for every kid in Girdwood to learn how to ski,” according to Girdwood 2020 board member Larry Daniels. The scholarships are for this season’s program.
The organization also contributed $1,000 to the Girdwood 2020 Early Childhood Education Fund to provide tuition scholarships in early childhood development for the teaching staff at Little Bears.
Girdwood 2020 will help an award-winning school program assess the interest and need for a high school in Girdwood.
“Girdwood residents have long wanted a high-caliber high school, a need clearly identified in the recent Peterson Economics report,” said Diana Stone Livingston, Girdwood 2020 Co-chair. “We’re excited to explore what we believe is a very creative option for parents who do not want to send their students to Anchorage.”
Girdwood 2020 created a task force to work with the Chugach School District (CSD), which serves Prince William Sound and other students around the state. The district is the smallest organization to ever win the prestigious Baldrige Award for excellence in education.
Chugach’s students consistently exceed the state average in the four subject areas tested in Alaska’s High School Graduation Qualifying Examination, and 14 of 17 graduates since 1994 are attending post-secondary institutions, as compared with one between 1975 and 1994.
The district pioneered a standards-based system of “whole child education” that emphasizes real-life learning situations. It replaced credit hours and grade levels with an individualized, student-centered approach that aims for measurable – and demonstrable – proficiency in 10 areas of performance. These range from basic academic and career development skills to cultural awareness and character building.
“CSD has progressed from a school district in crisis to one in which student performance exceeds state and national norms,” said District Superintendent Bob Crumley. “Schools that once had been the cause of local discontent are now a source of community pride.”
Crumley said options for Girdwood could range from a traditional brick and mortar high school to a more informal setting. “We can customize our educational program to community needs.”
Livingston said Girdwood 2020 approached the Chugach District because the organization liked the District’s individualized approach to education and its educational standards.
“As a community, we’ve demanded the best education possible for our students and we believe Chugach could meet our high standard at the high school level,” Livingston said, referring to test scores that show Girdwood students consistently outperform all other public schools in Anchorage.
Crumley said the next step is to assess community needs and apply to the state for a charter school.
Additional information on the Chugach School District is available at www.chugachschools.com.