Summer Program Recap

Wy'East Mountain Academy

Summer News

Letter from the Headmaster

Summer Greetings Friends and Family Members,

When the summer term began in May, I had a tough time visualizing the end, not wanting to think the summer was ending before it had a chance to start. I was hoping for the best student experience, and I believe it’s been AWESOME!!!

Summer term started out slow. Students were still a bit tired from the winter term, BOB skate park still needed a final pour, and the trampolines were a bit dusty. But the summer term ramped up, BOB skate park is a work of art, weather has been pleasant, and the term finished beautifully. The vibe on campus has been positive and fun, with summer academy students and campers blending well.

We had a few new students join us this summer who will continue through the coming year. For them, the summer has provided an opportunity to settle in, develop friendships, get to know our staff and systems, and get in shape! For continuing students, they have been able to continue working on their skills, get ahead in their academics, and meet some new friends.

Students also had a well-rounded choice of summer activities in addition to their mountain experience. Students went to the Oregon coast, my house in the Columbia Gorge and Hood River for the 4th, go-carting, the aquatic center in Beaverton, Trillium Lake, the Portland Saturday Market, Rose Festival, and Pride Parade, to an escape room, and of course plenty of hiking and mountain biking.

Our new teacher Jaime is staying on for the school year. Yay! Jaime has an authentic interest in our students developing good relationships and providing strong support while keeping parents abreast of student progress. It’s going to be a terrific school year based on this summer experience.

Thank you for sending your student for our first full summer academy term.

Have a great time with your student athlete over the next month and create some awesome memories, because in just another month and a half, they will be back in our care!

Cheers, Ann

The students enjoying a beautiful Pacific Ocean Sun set

Academics

Summer school has flown by! I have loved getting to know each of the students strengths, and I am continually learning where I can guide and support them. The Academy students have set a pure and positive example for all of We Are Camp, balancing skiing, campus life, and staying on top of their academics.

Class time runs from 3pm to 6pm Monday through Friday and 9am to noon on Saturdays. Students are taking one or two classes to get ahead or catch up from a previous semester. I encourage them to use break time for a skate or walk around campus, and I love when students share their other hobbies with me (making music or strumming guitar, creating art, playing poker, and posting ski edits).

Spending a weekend in Lincoln City on the Oregon coast was the perfect opportunity for new and old students to connect on another level. We rented wetsuits, booties, surfboards, skimboards and boogie boards for our students to experience all of the plank possibilities at the beach. Together we explored the tide pools and rode the notorious Lincoln City skatepark. I think everyone is hoping to get back to the coast this fall.

Although I came here in May believing this would be a summer job for me, I’m juiced to have made the decision to stay for the school year. Making connections with each of the students and feeling at home here on campus allows me to think this will be an easy transition into the fall after a short and sweet August break.

-Jaime Vincent

Student of the Summer: Dillon Jennings - Throughout the summer, DJ was ahead of pace and communicated effectively.

Athletics

I hope this finds everyone making the most of the summer, and enjoying these long days. What a great semester it’s been!

Having this opportunity has really given our participating athletes a leg up going into the upcoming season. From our daily workout sessions where everyone made individual gains, to our progressive trampoline sessions, we pushed the technical side of new tricks and had a blast while staying safe. Taking the dry land training into our two private parks has proven to be the perfect formula for learning the new and perfecting the old.

Coming into the 2019/2020 season, we as a team are tighter than ever and constantly pushing each other to the next level. Thank you all for being along for the ride and we greatly look forward to the upcoming season!

-The Freeski Staff

Life & Leisure

This summer has been absolutely incredible! We have gone on many fun adventures with the kids, such as hiking to a waterfall in the desert, watching fireworks in the Columbia River Gorge, and swimming in glacier water in the Mount Hood National Forest. The highlight of the summer was our weekend trip to the beautiful Oregon coast, where we surfed, boogie boarded and skated our hearts out.

Besides their continued excellence on the slopes and in the classroom, the kids have been great role models to the campers of Windells and High Cascade. The students acting as ambassadors positively impacts our growth and outreach. This summer has been one for the books. We are looking forward to the last couple of weeks and to the upcoming 2019-2020 school year!

-Luke Giacopelli

Guest UserAugust 1, 2019

Big Mountain Team Spring Road Trip

Wy’East Mountain Academy launched our brand new Big Mountain Program this year, created and coached by big mountain/backcountry guru’s Brandon Sorel and Griffin Dunne. The team spent the winter following the IFSA Junior Freeride tour contests and fresh powder in unique backcountry locations. The team traveled to British Colombia, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico and Washington, while exploring the endless amount of backcountry our very own Mount Hood has to offer in between their travels.

The team decided to save the best trip for last. In early April, they sent it on the road to Northern Washington and British Columbia. The goal was to ride the best backcountry North America has to offer. They brought filmer Brooks Curran along with them to capture every aspect of the trip, which you can see in the video posted above.

The crew touring around the Mount Baker backcountry. Photo: Brooks Curran

The video highlights everything the program is designed to offer: snow science, exploring new terrain, riding steep and deep pow, and ending with an IFSA Big Mountain event. The story begins with the crew leaving campus in Oregon and heading north to three destinations in a span of two weeks. The first stop: five days in the promised land of Mt. Baker, Washington. The team explored Baker’s famous gullies, iconic jump spots, and everything the Shuksan Arm has to offer.

The team then loaded the van up and drove over the Canadian border to Revelstoke, British Columbia. Revy provided some sleeper pow days inbounds. Magically, the skies turned blue and it was time to tour the surrounding peaks outside of the resort. Everything came together for their final day, allowing them to rip up some untouched snow in the sunshine.

Jake Williams dropping clifs at Revelstoke

The last leg of the trip was spent in Golden, B.C. for the IFSA North American Championship at Kicking Horse. The team arrived a few days before the contest to explore Lake Louise and Banff National Park, where they got to ride a couloir with picture perfect conditions! The team ended the trip with Hayley Houston earning two gold medals at the IFSA NorAms event to conclude an undefeated season for her, and a successful trip for the whole crew!

Guest UserJuly 10, 2019

Wy'East Academy welcomes Elijah Teter as Director of Snowboarding

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 2nd, 2019

FIVE-Time Olympic Medal Coach Elijah Teter to Join Wy’East Mountain Academy & High Cascade Snowboard Camp

MT HOOD, OREGON, July 2nd, 2019 – Wy’East Mountain Academy and High Cascade Snowboard Camp announced today the addition of Elijah Teter as its Director of Snowboarding, where he will set the vision and direct the high performance snowboard-coaching program for both the academy and camp(s).

Over the past 30 years, Elijah Teter has done it all in snowboarding and has done so with excellence. Formerly a professional snowboarder and member of the US Snowboard team, Elijah went on to be a highly successful Olympic coach, helping to secure three gold and two silver medals while working with athletes such as Ayumu Hirano, Kaitlyn Farrington, Louie Vito, Hannah Teter, and Kazu Kokubo.

“Elijah joining our academy is the next step in Wy’East Mountain Academy becoming the world’s premier action sports academy,” said Kevin English, Academy president. “Not only does Elijah have the years of coaching experience and Olympic medals on his resume, he is a true mentor to young students and his peers alike.”

Teter will be working hands-on in the development of the snowboard program, recruiting and working with both athletes and coaches. Because of his renowned ability to rapidly progress athletes of any ability, Elijah will be seeking goal-oriented athletes, with his aim to not only develop exceptional snowboarders, but exceptional humans.

“I flipping love snowboarding!” said Teter emphatically, “I love teaching, I love progression in athletics, and most importantly, I love reaching your highest potential as a person. I have been part of and worked alongside some great programs around the world, and to have the opportunity to lead the direction of this snowboard program, shaping it into something I can really be proud of, it gives me goose bumps thinking of the possibilities.”

As part of this program, Teter and his coaching staff will offer multiple high performance sessions throughout the year at resorts nationwide, the first of which will take place this summer at High Cascade July 26th – August 2nd. These sessions will include sports psychology, dry-land and on-hill training and will focus on helping athletes progress their tricks and style to become better snowboarders and competitors while giving athletes a sampling of the intense year-round academy program.

About Wy’East Mountain Academy

Wy'East Mountain Academy (formerly Windells Academy) is an accredited academic boarding school for students 7-12 grade. It fulfills its mission of “Life Improvement through People, Place, and Passion, through its world-class action sports programs and college prep academics, which are designed to develop driven and talented student athletes in skiing, snowboarding, and skateboarding. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please visit http://www.wyeastacademy.com or call 800.765.7669.

About High Cascade Snowboard Camp

Since 1989 High Cascade Snowboard Camp has delivered on its mission of Life Improvement through Snowboarding by offering all-inclusive snowboard camps for youth and adults, ages 8 – 80. For more information or register, please visit http://www.highcascade.com or call 800.765.7669.

Wy’East Mountain Academy and High Cascade Snowboard Camp are part of the We Are Camp, LLC family.

Ryan GreeneJuly 2, 2019

Nick Goepper Graduation Speech

On May 2nd, Wy'East Mountain Academy held our annual Commencement Ceremony at Timberline Lodge. We were blessed with a speech from Wy'East Academy Alumni and Professional Skiier, Nick Geopper. The Academy allowed Nick to train with Coach Mike Hanley year round, while traveling around the world to compete in Ski Contests. The result? Nick is a 2 time Olympic medalist & 3 time X-Games Gold medalist. Special Thanks to Nick, Mike Hanley & Timberline Lodge!

Guest UserJune 6, 2019

April Update

Wy'East Mountain Academy

APRIL NEWS

Letter from the Head Master

Greetings Parents, Friends, Students, and Family Members,

Well, it’s here, the end of our 2018-2019 school year. Graduation last week in the Raven’s Nest at Timberline Lodge was gorgeous and memorable with guest speakers, Nick Goepper and Mike Hanley speaking to a standing-room only crowd. Our graduates participated by giving a bit of themselves as well. Dave and Max gave speeches, Luke read a poem that will be published in the MEWA 2019 student anthology, and the slide show was created by Cam and Evan. Lori’s artistic skateboard deck as a senior gift was so special and the beginning of a new tradition. Thank you Lori, and thanks to all family members, former and current students, friends, and employees who were in attendance and made that day special.

Move out was smooth with many parents coming on Friday to help with the student cabin clean-up day. Thanks for that! As I write this, our employees are getting campus ready for the summer term, which begins next week. We have 12 students enrolled for the summer term, arriving at a few different points, as we are trying to be flexible for various school districts and curriculum providers. It should be a chill-out term allowing for additional credits and performance training during this beautiful season.

Great news arrived from SEVIS yesterday, and we are now able to offer an US high school diploma for international students through the F-1 Visa process! International students who want to attend our academy must be enrolled full-time on our Edgenuity platform. If you are interested, or know anyone who is, please email me or Dan so we can answer those burning questions and get them enrolled!

I want to give a huge shout out to all our employees who worked so tirelessly in making our student’s academic and athletic experience a good one this year. Working at the academy is hard, being a student at the academy is hard, and we all live the job. From the teachers, to the life coaches, medic, athletic coaches, kitchen, and all support staff, I am indebted to their sacrifices. I am looking forward to having much of our staff continue through the summer and into next year.

With that said, our snowboard coach, Tommie, has chosen to move on to another opportunity. We wish Tommie the very best for his future- will miss him dearly. Al Grogan is planning on taking over as head snowboard coach. Al has worked at the academy and summer camp for many years. We welcome Al back and look forward to seeing how he will develop students in that program.

As our mission says, life improvement through people, place, and passion. Our staff all are aligned with that mission, as I know our students are. Have a fantastic spring and we look forward to seeing you all in the future!

There was no shortage of laughs during Max Daenen’s speech

Academy Alumni, Professional Skiier and Olympic Medalist Nick Goepper gave a speech about his experience at the Academy and how it helped him get to where he is now

CONGRATS TO OUR 2019 GRADUATES!

Dave reflecting on all the great times he had at the Academy

Headmaster Ann Scott giving her regards to all the staff members who helped make this an incredible year

Big Mountain

The Backcountry & Big Mountain team ended the year with a bang! We arrived in the promise land of Mount Baker on April 1st, welcomed with terrain as far as the eye could see. We spent almost a week going back and forth between side country and resort riding, shooting photos and filming with a familiar face, Brooks Curran, who we worked with back in Jackson Hole earlier this year.

We then crossed the Canadian border and had our sights set on Revelstoke. After a few days of light snow, the sun came out, the heavens opened up, and the conditions were incredible. We had a long day of touring around the mountains that encompass the resort and found the goods. The last few days of the trip were spent in Golden, British Columbia where Hayley Houston completed her undefeated season, winning the final event at the North American Championship, taking home the Overall Champion Title, and proving that she is the best female snowboarder in the junior category of IFSA. Meanwhile, the rest of the team was exploring what was possible directly off The Powder Highway doing day trips into the backcountry.

The second half the month was full of spring park laps, skateboarding on campus, finishing up school, and ending the year with a beautiful graduation ceremony. At the ceremony, we honored Evan Bowers as he moves on to the next chapter in what I am sure will be a long and successful snowboard career. Two days before graduation, Evan and I had the opportunity to climb to the summit of Mount Hood and snowboard down from 11,500 feet, marking an incredibly successful year for the team. I couldn’t be more excited to do it again next year.

-Brandon

Athlete of the Month: Evan Bowers

The Big Mountain team finding a line. Mount Baker, Washington

Everyone knows skiing & snowboarding is better when you earn your turns

Skateboarding

What a final month! The skaters took a filming trip to Barcelona, Spain! We all made the most of the opportunity, soaking in local culture and going hard to film as much as possible. Everyone got tricks they are hyped on at famous spots and made more lifetime memories than will fit into one newsletter! Some standouts were: George’s kickflip down the 5, Daenen’s front shuv 50 on the out ledge, and Jip’s (2nd try) impossible down the big 3 block, all at MACBA. Herb’s was making light work of all the amazing flat ground and ledges, and Bardas got one of my personal all-time favorite photos (see below). All-in-all, a successful trip!

We returned from Barcelona to some beautiful weather. We’ve had an amazing final two weeks with some bittersweet farewell skate sessions. A huge congratulations to Max Daenen for graduating! We are all going to miss you and Jip (who is also moving on to University), and we wish you all the best. Huge thank you to all the students and families and everyone who helped out to make this year happen!

-Donovan

Skater of the Month: Max Daenen

The Skaters taking in an experience of a lifetime. Barcelona, Spain

Freeski

We had a great second semester on the Freeski team. During early April, the majority of the team got to train and compete in Colorado at Breckenridge and Copper for USASA Nationals. We had some nice results and caught a solid patch of weather to get some big jump training in. Those that competed did an awesome job, and we walked away with three gold medals in both a rail jam and two slopestyle events!

The remaining team members rallied to Switzerland to compete in the Swiss World Cup and had a radical cultural experience. There, they competed against high-level athletes and Olympians, getting their feet wet as to what it's like in the "big leagues".

Following our trips, we finished the year at the all-time Timberline spring park. We we had countless perfect weather days with soft, forgiving snow and EVERYONE leveled up and ended the year with new tricks! Looking forward to picking right back up with those who are attending our Summer School semester!!!

-Topher (& Breeze)

Skier of the Month: Angus Falconer

Spring park laps at Timberline never disappoint! Mount Hood, Oregon

Academics

I can't believe this Academy year has already come to an end! I was glad I had the chance to talk to many families at graduation, but for those that I have not seen recently, I want to start by saying thank you for sharing your children with us this year! I was cleaning off the attendance list on my whiteboard yesterday, and thinking about how it has been a pleasure to get to know our students on a personal level as their teacher. Each and every one of them has unique gifts and personalities, and I am excited for what the future holds for them.

On an academic level, I am also incredibly proud of everything our students have accomplished this year. Balancing the responsibilities of being both full-time athletes and students is something that would be a challenge for most adults, let alone teens who are also living away from home for the first time, and I applaud them for all the learning and growing they have done. Throughout the year, I emphasized the importance of being independent learners, and hope that I have equipped our students to succeed in the future, wherever they may land.

Thank you again everyone!

Mr. Matthew
-
Matthew couldn't have said it better. It was such an incredible experience to work in the classroom this year and see the amazing transformations in our students. New the academy and to online education, I was impressed by the autonomy the students learned in their short time here. These past few weeks, we made it through anxious spring afternoons in the classroom and testing hall (aka rec. room), helped send off our graduates to college and the big world beyond, and assisted our underclassmen and women in finishing up their classes. There is much to celebrate!

Final grades, along with SAT and PSAT scores should be arriving soon. We will keep parents and students posted as soon as we hear anything from the College Board.

Thanks to all who stuck with us through our learning curve year, and for all of the kind words I received during my pregnancy. I hope to be seeing you all again soon, baby girl in tow, on campus or on the slopes!

:) Lori

Student of the Month: Konnor Ralph

Snowboard

Earlier this month the snowboarders competed at the world's largest snowboard competition. The experience from USASA Nationals was one we will never forget. Each athlete learned something new and enjoyed the experiences of sunny weather and progressive snowboard parks.

After Nationals, we headed back to Mount Hood for more fun cloudless days and park riding. The kids enjoyed skating, snowboarding, and enjoying all the things the Academy campus has to offer. It's sad to see the snowboard season and semester come to an end, but looking back on the season, it was incredible. The snowboard team had a blast traveling to Washington, Colorado twice, Mammoth, Lake Tahoe, and Canada, maturing and learning some important life lessons along the way.

Thanks parents and riders for an amazing year!

-Tommie

Rider of the Month: Veda Hallen

Cam sending a frontside air during his final semester of High School

Life Coach Wrap-Up:

It has been a wild couple of months on the life coach front with the end of competition/travel season and the wrapping up of the school year. Nationals were a great success overall, with great opportunities to watch the kids go all out in rail jams and competitions (in many cases coming away with medals!), and to meet their lovely parents. Our fearless medic and life coach, Doug, became a world traveler during this time as well, diving head first into deep powder in Canada with the Big Mountain team, and then soaking up the old-world sights and sounds of Barcelona with the Skate team.

And in the blink of an eye, the end of the year was upon us.

Luckily, there was plenty of time, outside of finishing classwork, for the kids to fit in fun skate sessions in the concrete jungle and take part in end of the year activities like go-karting. Graduation was an emotional time for the life coaches, as it was time to say goodbye to all of the students, and especially the seniors. But, it was a blast reminiscing on all of the great times we’d had with the kids throughout their time at the Academy and our excitement for the coming year grows every day!

-Nate

Your 2019 Wy’East Mountain Academy Go Karting Champions

That’s a wrap. Thank you everyone for an incredible school year!

Guest UserMay 9, 2019

March Update

Wy'East Mountain Academy

March News!

Letter from the Head Master

Spring Greetings Parents, Friends, and Family Members,

It’s hard to believe the month of March is over, and we’re into the first week of April. I’m presently at Nationals at Copper Mountain in Colorado and spent the past two days at our new Wy’East Mountain Academy booth engaging in awesome conversations with our snowboard parents, athletes, coaches, and future hopefuls. We’ll be staying through the weekend to meet our skiers and their family members who are also attending.

The whole atmosphere for the event is uplifting and fun. I must give kudos to Tommie and his team for working extremely long hours and preparing our students for competition. As much fun as the experience is, it’s also grueling, to say the least. We will share the results for our students in the next newsletter after the ski portion of the event is completed.

When we get back, students will be completing their studies, taking the SAT and PSAT exams, as well as round two MAP assessments.Graduation is set for 5:00 PM on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at Timberline Lodge, with dinner to follow for parents and relatives. It’s a beautiful venue, and we are fortunate to have our graduation there. I believe I said 6:00 PM in the last letter, but it is confirmed for 5:00 PM.

Our SEVIS site visit on March 21st went smoothly, but as confirmation for final approval can take up to twelve months, we are crossing our fingers that it will come through before September. If you are an international student, please talk to Dan about the visa process. There is a B-visa that is used for short term training, but is longer than the 3-month tourist visa, which one of our foreign athletes is on.

Our2019-2020 school year calendar and summer term calendars are now out! Arrival day for fall term is on Saturday, September 7th. We will continue with parent’s weekend. Christmas holiday will be longer, and we are going without a spring break- reason being that spring break this term overlapped with so much travel, only a few people were able to fully take part in the break.

Summer term is looking good with dates set for May 13th to August 3rd. This gives a complete week between winter and summer term, and a month off between summer and fall terms for you to enjoy your children. Please don’t hesitate to contact me or Dan if your student wants to complete a shorter summer term. For Edgenuity students, their school work would need to be worked on at home, and MEWA classes would start in mid to late June. Please discuss the options with your family and the coaches. This truly presents an opportunity for students to continue staying fit and helps them get ahead in their coursework for the coming year.

Thanks again for trusting us to care for your students.

Sincerely yours,
Ann

The Big Mountain Team on set for the Arbor Snowboards Catalog Shoot

Big Mountain

March was a perfect month to be off the road, giving us time to enjoy the glories of Mount Hood and life on campus.

We started out the month with a pretty special opportunity to work with Arbor Snowboards. When my friend and Arbor athlete, Sam Blazejewski stopped through with Arbor’s staff photographer, Asher Koles on their way home from a week up in British Columbia filming a segment on two athletes in their homeland, they had in tow the 20+ next years products with them. They invited us to help them take photos that will be used for promotional purposes as a “Look-Book” on social media. Hayley and Evan were happy to assist, as we traveled to three different locations around Mount Hood finding unique landscapes to use. This gave them the chance to see the behind-the-scenes work that goes into marketing for a snowboard brand.

March was also full of training in the terrain park to work on the freestyle skills and goals that were set for this season. I’m so proud of the kids and their progression in the park, and it shows when riding the bigger lines on the mountain. I’ve enjoyed watching them get more comfortable in the air and developing style in their tricks, which is exactly what we want. Spring time is in full effect and we are loving it!

- Brandon

Student of the Month: Evan Bowers

Freeski

March was a great month for us on the freeski team. We had a nice trip to Mammoth for the final Rev Tour where everyone learned new things and put down some amazing runs. The skiing in Oregon was very productive, and with plenty of sunny spring days upon us, the training is ideal! As we are approaching the end of our competition season, those competing have been working hard on prepping runs for Nationals, and the team moral is at an all time high!

- Breeze and Topher

Skier of the Month: Jackson

Dave slashing through the transition of T-Line’s Flow Park

Snowboard

The snowboard team has been busy traveling, competing and having fun. Tahoe, Mammoth and Colorado really exposed the kids to what it’s like to have a life on the road. The kids are adapting to the constant changes while having great attitudes.

USASA Nationals was a great opportunity to learn about higher level competitions. There were over 1200 participants over the 5 events. We had some highs and lows, but everyone had a smile on their faces.

It’s surprising we are so close to the end of the year. With only have a few weeks of school left, we will be buckling down in the classroom and enjoying the spring conditions at Mount Hood.

- Tommie

Snowboarder of the Month: Harken

Max showing off a new trick and his new haircut

Skateboarding

March was an action packed month for the skate team! We started off on a somber note, bidding farewell to Australian skater Jed Ragen, who finished up his visa and headed back down under for the year. Weʼll all miss you Jed and look forward to skating again soon!

The rest of the team headed off on a quick 3-day trip to Seattle. We skated parks as we drove north and caught the ferry just in time for sunset! Seattle has some amazing street spots and skate parks. We spent the time hitting up some of our longtime favorites and also checked out some new parks we hadnʼt been to yet. Monkʼs vert ramp is no joke and just seeing it was insane! Props to Ava for tearing it up!

We returned from the Seattle trip just in time for spring break. Everyone said a quick farewell and went home to spend some time with the family. Since everyone has gotten back, the weather has been amazing! Weʼve been taking advantage by having long, full day sessions in the jungle, as well as day trips to parks that were previously covered by snow, such as Bingen.

A documentary team from Australia filming for “Queens of Concrete” joined us for the final week of March to document Ava Godfreyʼs last days at the academy. We had a good time playing host and helping to do our part to promote female participation in skateboarding. We are all going to miss Ava, who is also at the end of her visa. We wish her a safe journey home and canʼt wait until we all skate together again!

The remaining skaters are eagerly anticipating next week, as we are going to Barcelona! Catch you on the other side with a full Baca report! Adios!

- Donovan

Skater of the Month: Ava

Academics

As our winter turns quickly to spring, the classroom has seen students filtering in and out between frequent travels, spring skate sessions, and prep for national competitions. Our skaters and freeski A team have been putting in extra time as they prepare for travels abroad (skiers heading to Switzerland and the skate crew to Barcelona, Spain). With snowboarders and much of our skate and ski team crew on extended trips and Nationals, it has been a chore to keep up on travel schedules. But, even with Mullet March fueling the spring fever, students have been doing an excellent job staying on track and as focused as possible.

PSAT and SAT exams are taking place on campus this coming month, with SATs scheduled for April 22nd and PSATs on April 23rd. Students who are taking the SAT have been encouraged to put in extra hours to prepare. Please reach out to Lori if you have any questions regarding these tests.

Looking forward to spring bringing fresh energy to our campus and wild beauty to the Oregon wonderland that surrounds us.

- Lori & Matthew

Student of the Month: Herbs

Guest UserApril 15, 2019

January Update

January News!

Letter from the Head Master

Dear Families,

It’s February and we have finally have snow on campus! As the bulk of the country has been immersed in the polar vortex, we have been watching the crazy weather from afar, but now we’re getting our fair share. Yay! We LOVE snow days!

Our campus is a busy place this term, which is very exciting. We have a full roster of academy students and athletes from our international program as they spend time here for meals and occasional training.

If you haven’t heard, we have our accreditation! We are now accredited with the National Council for Private School Accreditation and Accreditation International. This will be pivotal to getting our SEVIS certification that will help with VISAS for our international students. It also means we can issue our own transcripts for those students using the Edgenuity curriculum.

With the accreditation, we are now giving the MAP test, or the Measure of Academic Progress assessment. This assessment is a computerized adaptive assessment given 3 times per year which helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Check here to see what and how the MAP test informs teachers, students, and parents. The assessment also links to the Edgenuity platform to inform those teachers. For those students who are not using Edgenuity, the assessment informs our staff when they help your students in the classroom and to make sure students are at grade level. If your student has taken the test, we will give it again in April.

Students in 10th grade have signed up for the PSAT in late February, and 11th and 12th grade students will have the opportunity to take the SAT later this spring. We are thankful for MEWA for providing this opportunity. I am hopeful next year we will be able to give the tests ourselves.

Our seniors are gearing up for their last term of their senior year. Jostens stopped by and we will be ordering cap and gowns this month. Parents can also order invitations that will have our logo and an engraving of Mt. Hood. I just got confirmation that we have our graduation date and time set for May 2nd at Timberline Lodge. Our graduation ceremony will be from 5:00-7:00 PM in the Raven's Nest, with dinner from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Mt. Hood Room (directly below Raven's Nest). Dinner is included for graduate and 2 parents. Extra people are $33.00 per plate. We will have a special guest speaker who is a former graduate of Windells, whose name will be revealed next month. Student leaders will also be giving speeches.

Our academy now has a summer term and we are open for enrollment! Spring is exceptionally beautiful on the mountain. The spring/summer term begins May 12th and ends August 3, 2019. Personally, it’s my favorite season. The mountain is always crisp white with snow, and flowers are blooming. This is a perfect opportunity for your student athlete to continue their training and get ahead in their academics for next year. Travel will be limited for snow sports but will be in full gear for skate students. Tuition for your student is locked in at the current rate you are presently paying. If you are interested, please let us know by March 1st and submit your deposit by March 15th for the summer term and June 15th for fall/winter term. If you are interested in having your student attend all three terms, we have a reduced tuition for those attending all three. We also offer a discount for students paying in full prior to the start of the term. We believe the summer academy session will be a cornerstone of our programing with huge growth potential. Talk to Dan on the specifics!

Our summer ambassador program will look a bit different this year. Students will attend summer camp and board with campers at a reduced rate. Students will not be taking classes but will be embedded with the campers. The cost for this is $1875 per session for snow sports, and $875 per session for skaters.

We encourage students to attend the academy year-round, but realize some students need to have some down time. Email me or Dan to enroll your student athlete in these cool programs.

Thanks again for trusting us to care for your students.

Sincerely yours,

Ann

Big Mountain

Our winter season is in full effect! We started out the month enjoying the terrain on the big, beautiful volcano that is the pinnacle of our academy with a mix of pow-days at Meadows, and sunny park laps at Timberline. Shortly there after, we hit the road for our first big trip putting over 2,000 miles under our belts with no shortage of incredible snow.

We arrived in Utah just as a big storm hit and we took full advantage of it! This storm gave us the chance to get out in the backcountry, dig some snow pits, learn about the stability of the new snow, pull out our beacons and practice with our companion rescue scenarios. We found that there was a significant amount of snow on top of an unstable layer, which raised some red flags. That being the case, we opted for some good old fashion resort riding! Brighton provided the goods and we couldn’t get enough of it. Just as the storm cycle had come to an end, it was time to hit the road again with Jackson Hole as our destination.

Within 30 minutes of crossing the state line into Wyoming and up the Teton Pass, we decided to get out of the van and explore the snow. It turned out to be a highlight of the trip. Hayley hit a huge benchmark in her snowboarding career by landing her first ever backflips on a backcountry jump! That set the tone for our time in Jackson, as the next day we worked with Brooks Curran, a close friend of Griffin’s, who is a professional photographer. The kids got to see first hand what the dynamic is like to get media content and everyone came away with some amazing shots. A big Thank You goes out to Brooks for giving our team the opportunity to work with a pro.

Our last days in Jackson were spent doing our first IFSA Big Mountain contest where Hayley walked away with a gold medal! Needless to say this first trip far exceeded our expectations and we are looking forward to the month of February.

Student of the Month: Haley Houston

Skateboarding

Back at it for round two! The second semester got off to a great start. We were lucky to have some uncharacteristically dry weather days scattered throughout the month which we used to our advantage getting sessions in at the local parks. We’ve spent the rainy days driving to the sunny corners of the state and hitting up Portland indoors as we eagerly await the completion of the new B.O.B. park. The skaters have also been doing weekly full day trips on Fridays to farther locations such as Seattle, Junction City, and Eugene.

One of the main highlights from the month was being able to have a session in the extremely exclusive Nike SB park, thank you again to all who helped line that up! In addition to all that, the skaters have been actively cross training in the gym and on the ski slope in anticipation for our upcoming trip to Arizona. Stay tuned to the Academy Instagram and Facebook for day to day content updates!

Student of the Month: George Kovchegov

Freeski

It's been a great month on the freeski side of things. We have had ideal weather for training on-hill and have utilized each and every day. The team as a whole is progressing daily, landing new tricks constantly and feeding off one another. We are lucky to have three new Australian students who have brought a nice boost of energy to the team.

Part of our team traveled to New Hampshire for the first Rev Tour where they represented our team well, placing 4th and 1st! Our off-hill training is still in full effect with ample trampoline sessions, partnered with leg and core maintenance. Competition season is here and the team is ready to show off their hard work.

Student of the Month: Tanner Blakely

Snowboard

The snowboard team has been busy with training, competitions and a trip to Whistler in Canada. Whistler was an amazing experience and very progressive. The kids hit some of the largest jumps of their lives and making it look effortless. The Canada trip was also a great cultural experience and a glimpse into international traveling.

Back at home, the kids are focusing on their competition runs and having fun. The next few weeks will be intense with competitions each weekend.

Student of the Month: Max Duffy

Academics

Lots happening in the classroom this month! Students returning from first semester have been busy finishing their first semester courses - turning in projects, portfolios, and completing final exams. We have been so excited with everyone's accomplishments from first semester and with how they have handled the increase in training, travel, and school work as their semester ended. Nice job everyone!

We have also had quite a few additions to our classroom this month. Our new students from Australia, the Netherlands, the US, and Japan are settling in nicely with our returning students and have all started their coursework. With our new students and the international program visiting campus regularly, campus is alive with international energy.

Outside the classroom, the students have been keeping up on school while on the road to Whistler, Utah, Waterville, and Arizona, as travel plans and strong lines of communication between teachers, coaches, and students on the road have helped them stay on track. Our seniors are planning for graduation this spring and prepping for college and trade schools this coming fall. We will miss them dearly!

Student of the Month:
George Kovchegov (Yep, SOM in skating and academics. George is crushin' it!)

Guest UserFebruary 7, 2019

November Update

November Update!

Wy'East Mountain Academy

November News!

Letter from the Head Master

Greetings Parents,

Can you believe it’s almost Thanksgiving break? The last couple of months have flown by and soon we’re all heading off for the holidays. Autumn has been mild with sunny days mixed in with some rain.. but the students found a bit of paradise on the mountain. They’ve been hiking, skiing, and snowboarding on slopes and hitting some rails. I hope you have been able to see the Facebook page and Vlogs! The coaches have been doing a great job documenting our students this year.

Parent’s Weekend was wonderful. Thank you to all of those who made it to campus. I believe that Saturday was one of the most beautiful days this fall. It was a special time to get to know each other a bit more and begin to build stronger relationships. Speaking of getting to know each other better, I would to have a parent or two start a parent club. It was Kyleena’s idea to start a parent Facebook page, so thank you! That is one place where you can communicate with each other. But, I would like to take it to the next level and need some parents who will step forward to make a parents group happen. Interested?

Academically, we are a little more than halfway through the semester. It’s been a bit of a learning curve with Edgenuity, getting all the pieces in place, but we are very happy with the program. We will also be adding the MAP standardized assessments to their educational experience. Our teachers have been crushing it! Props to Lori and Matthew for supporting our students in concert with teachers, parents, and coaches.

I have some exciting news for all parents, and especially seniors. As you know, senior portraits are treasured heirlooms. Our very own photographer extraordinaire, Michael Foushee, has created a photography package to document your student at this milestone. Michael is not only an athlete, skate park builder, and coach, he is an incredible photographer. I urge each one of you to look at his website to view his spectacular landscape and portrait photographs. Michael will meet with your student and document your student at this pivotal time in their lives. I encourage every parent to take advantage of Michael’s artistic gift and photograph your student. https://www.michaelfoushee.com.

Our accreditation process is still in motion with our site visit this week. I have been ferociously working on the project. I am looking forward to having this be completed so we can continue to grow!

One last thing, if you have not emailed me your student’s holiday itinerary, please do so as soon as possible. Anything outside the following times are an additional fee, as we will need to pull someone off shift to pick them up. The only exception is on Nov 16th, during the day, if you absolutely cannot get a flight out for Thanksgiving.

Holiday Leave and Arrival Dates:
Thanksgiving Break: Nov 17 and 25 (between 8am and 4pm)
Holiday Break: December 15 and January 3 (between 8am and 4pm)

Thank you for your trust and allowing us to care for your students! The kids this year are fantastic!

- Ann

Cayden sliding through our dry slope rail line

The Snowboard Team visiting Volcom HQ in Costa Mesa, California

Skateboarding

The beginning of October found us half way through our first major trip of the year. We ventured down to California for the final stop of the Hotwheels Junior Series at Woodward West. Ava Godfrey left with some hardware, taking 3rd in street and 1st in mini ramp. Max Bardas and Jed Reagan also competed and put on a great show. After the contest, we spent a few days around Sacramento and San Francisco to film and explore the local skate scene.

We returned to Oregon where we were treated with some uncharacteristically dry fall weather. We were able to skate outdoors at local parks and ramps without having to hide from the rain- so lucky! The dry weather lasted all the way through until the end of the month when we embarked back down south again for our second Cali trip of the year.

Our second trip to California is sure to be one for the books. We headed all the way south to San Diego (even hitting Mexico for a day). Then we spent a full week in Encinitas for the Exposure competition, filming, and visiting companies within the industry. Now we are off to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento to take full advantage of being in the area. This trip will nearly last us all the way to Thanksgiving break, where the students and myself are looking forward to some much needed R&R and family time. All in all, the year is off to an awesome start!

-Donovan Lawler, Head Skateboard Coach

Student of the Month: Jack Walsh

Big Mountain

Greetings parents, siblings, and friends of the Academy students! The Big Mountain program is well on its way to an action packed, successful season and the snow hasn’t even started to fall yet. We kicked off the year with an incredible trip to Jackson Hole where we were fortunate enough to be a part of the Teton Gravity

Research world premiere of their latest film “Far Out” as well as their Hall-of-Fame induction. Our very own Ellie Snow Armstrong’s father, Rick Armstrong, was honorably inducted into the Hall-of-Fame for his extensive career in pioneering big mountain skiing and continuously setting the bar for what is possible in the sport.

During our time in Jackson Hole, the team got to sit down with living snowboard legend, Jeremy Jones, and get some insightful advice on what it takes to be at the top of your sport. What a humbling experience to sit down with someone of that caliber on an informal level and hear his take on being the best.

After the Jackson Hole trip we’ve been busy getting out hiking in the mountains here, visiting some local skate parks, spending time on the trampolines, and taking advantage of the beautiful weather September has provided for us! As a team, we’ve also gotten gym memberships at the Mount Hood Athletic Club in Sandy where we work on core strength, cardio, and different isolated muscle groups twice a week. Their facility is a wonderful resource being 12 minutes away and includes a pool, steam room, sauna, and two hot tubs for self-care and stretching after our workouts. This momentum is going to carry us into winter to start in the right mindset and physical shape as I’m already seeing results!

-Brandon Sorel, Head Big Mountain Coach

Student of the Month: Haley Houston

The team went on a hike to warm their legs up for winter

The crew got a tour of K2 and got a firsthand look at how they make snowboards

Freeski

We have had a great month and a solid start to the year on the freeski side of things. From daily workouts and dry land training consisting of upper and lower body strengthening, the boys are well on their way to being prepped for the hill. We balance our workout time with trampoline training, helping each student individually to learn new and polish old tricks to bring to competition.

With our competition season around the corner we have had the privilege of visiting the Utah Olympic Park twice this month. Each trip everyone has shown great progression and have had breakthroughs within their bag of tricks. Having access to the Olympic Park allows us to use their trampolines prior to the landing bag sessions which has proved to be very effective in getting the most out of each day there.

Keeping the athletes on track academically has been a breeze with our new teaching staff. We receive daily progress reports from the teachers outlining any and all that may be falling behind. Evening school sessions on the road have been effective and have kept everyone on track or ahead in their classes.

During our first trip to Utah we got to take an industry tour of the Saga Warehouse guided by the owner. The kids were shown first-hand how to hot press logos onto hoodies, and even make their own. They finished the tour with a meet and greet with the brands’ head designer who showed them some of the steps in prepping a clothing line a year in advance. As a whole, the team is blending well together and there is nothing but good times ahead! Look out for progress reports and the first update on our winter competition schedule.

- Brian McCarthy & Toph Newett, Freeski Coaches

Student of the Month: Dave Whelen

Snowboard

The snowboard team has been busy this month. We have been gearing up for for the snow to fall and training hard, focusing on airbag, trampoline and skateboard training.

We also went down to California and toured the Volcom headquarters as well as Sierra Nevada College. As much as I’m focused on getting the kids good at snowboarding, I want to expose the kids to different opportunities within the industry. While at Volcom, Kaelin told the kids how to use their internship program as a gateway to getting a full-time position with the company. The kids loved the California trip and I would love to do this style of trip again in the future.

And finally, we got our first dose of pow and to took the kids up to Timberline for a few shred sessions. Check out the first session of the season in our latest VLOG!

-Tommie Bennet, Head Snowboard Coach

Student of the Month: Edgar!!!!!

Academics

Our students have been working hard in the classroom, putting in extra hours during evening Study Halls and in private tutor sessions to stay on track and balance their busy athletic schedules. We have worked individually with students who have fallen behind to develop daily schedules, goal setting, and checklist tracking. We have seen some incredible academic improvements, and are impressed by our student's strong dedication to their studies.

Aside from classwork, we have been working with our students on college and career planning. Through career surveys, the Portland College Fair, and a recent visit from a representative of Sierra Nevada College, students are getting lots of great insights for the future. In addition, we have been mentoring our juniors and seniors for their SAT exams and college prep work.

The fall is a beautiful time of year to be outdoors in the Pacific Northwest. Our field trip to Wildwood Recreation Site brought our students closer to the natural world and helped them identify native plants, questioning the intricate connections between plant, animal, and human.

With winter trips, holidays, and the end of the term approaching, we have built a strong line of communication between students and coaches to prepare students for studies on the road. Working to build student confidence and individual accountability, we are excited to introduce a new mentor program that will begin at the start of next term, to help our present students learn to be leaders and welcome our new students to our community.

Miss L & Mr. Matthew

Student of the Month: Roya Behbakht

October Students of the Month:

Academic:
CAMERON EATON

Freeski:
AUSTEN ABEL

Skate:
MAX BARDAS

Snowboard:
ROYA BEHBAKHT

Big Mountain:
EVAN BOWERS

Congratulations!!

Guest UserNovember 15, 2018

October Update

Letter from the Head Master

What a year so far. Starting off with an action-packed camping trip to the Oregon Coast, our students got to bond over skate and surf sessions and s'mores by the campfire. The last few weeks, students have settled in and found a happy balance between school work, training, exploring the Mt. Hood area, and trips to places like Utah, Jackson Hole, and California.

Read on for updates from our amazing teachers and coaches!

-Ann Scott, Head Master

Ellie, Evan and Hayley in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Ava grabbing 1st place in mini and 3rd place in street at the Hotwheels Junior Open in California — Ava grabbing 1st place in mini *and* 3rd place in street at the Hotwheels Junior Open in California

Academics

During our first month in the classroom the kids have been working diligently as they settle into their routine as both athletes and students. We have both been happy and impressed with the way our returning students have demonstrated strong independent learning skills and with how our new students have quickly adjusted to the challenges of being in online classes. Overall, the students seem to be excelling in their schoolwork and are learning to be organized, dedicated, and independent learners - skills that will take them far in their sport and careers!

To start off the school year we met with each student individually along with their athletic coach to get to know their learning style, academic aspirations, and to help them write academic goals for the year ahead. We felt it was important to include the athletic coaches in this process so both parties could understand what our student athletes are working towards both in school and on the hill or in the park! We will be monitoring these goals, revisiting them with the students throughout the year, and teaching our students to be goal oriented learners.

In addition to their online classes, we are excited to be starting some new activities with our students including an art class led by Lori (Miss L). We are also planning an art and science field trip to the Wildwood Recreation Site to identify native species of the Mt. Hood National Forest and document them in species sketches and drawings. We are hoping to incorporate other activities into our curriculum in the future including trips to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and the Portland Art Museum.

Our students are off to a great start- we are looking forward to the rest of the year with them!

Mr. Matthew & Miss L

Skateboarding

Greetings families and friends! The first month of the school year is in the books, and it’s been a blast! The skaters and I have taken advantage of the beautiful warm fall weather by skating as many parks as possible before the winter rains move in. We managed to cram in almost 30 parks in 3 weeks! Everyone is getting in the groove and adjusting well to what for some is a very new school and living situation. I’m beyond hyped on the skate students attitudes and desire to progress. We are looking to keep the good vibes rolling as we load up the skate van and head south on our first trip of the year to California!

-Donovan Lawler, Head Skateboard Coach

Freeski

We have had a great month and a solid start to the year on the freeski side of things. From daily workouts and dry land training consisting of upper and lower body strengthening the boys are well on their way to being prepped for the hill. We balance our work out time with trampoline training, helping each student individually to learn new and polish old tricks to bring to competition. With our competition season around the corner we have had the privilege of visiting the Utah Olympic Park twice this month. Each trip everyone has shown great progression and have had breakthroughs within their bag of tricks. Having access to the Olympic Park allows us to use their trampolines prior to the landing bag sessions which has proved to be very effective in getting the most out of each day there.

Keeping the athletes on track academically has been a breeze with our new teaching staff. We receive daily progress reports from the teachers outlining any and all that may be falling behind. Evening school sessions on the road has been effective and kept everyone caught up or ahead in their classes. During our first trip to Utah we got to take an industry tour of the Saga Warehouse guided by the owner. The kids were shown first-hand how to hot press logos onto hoodies, and even make their own. They finished the tour with a meet and greet with the brands’ head designer who showed them some of the steps in prepping a clothing line a year in advance. As a whole, the team is blending well together and there is nothing but good times ahead! Look out for progress reports and the first update on our winter competition schedule.

-Brian McCarthy, Head Ski Coach & Topher Newett, Assistant Ski Coach

Snowboard

Over the last month the snowboard program has had a great start to the semester. The snowboard team has incorporated skateboarding, trampoline, fitness, dry-slope trainings and we even started a Vlog.

Every Monday, the kids and I release a YouTube video on the adventures of the week. The Vlog has been well received by the kids and also gives them an inside look on the film aspect of the snowboard industry. The kids are learning to set up cameras and lights, host interviews, edit videos and most important overcoming the challenges of being in front of the camera.

The team and I have changed our weekly athletic schedule to have 3 morning and 2 afternoon training sessions. This new schedule helps find a balance between training and getting off campus. On Thursdays, we head off campus and drive to a local skatepark or go for a hike.

This season has been amazing!

-Tommie Bennett, Head Snowboard Coach

Guest UserOctober 9, 2018

INTRODUCING WY’EAST MOUNTAIN ACADEMY

Windells Academy formally changes name to Wy’East Mountain Academy

We are proud to announce a new era. While elite-level training for skiers, snowboarders, and skateboarders remains the core of our academy, we are evolving as an institution seeking to develop our students as whole people, not just as athletes. This name change signifies an expansion of our mission with renewed focus in the classroom and student life while investing heavily in our campus; many facility renovations are currently underway with several new and innovative training facilities on the drafting table and on the verge of breaking ground.

We aren’t just changing, we’re growing.

Wy’East Mountain Academy?

“Wy’East” is the original name for Mt. Hood, given by the Multnomah people who first inhabited its nearby lands. This mountain drawing us together is central to our spirit of adventure and achievement. It is this special place we call home and to which we pay homage.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Our mission is life improvement through people, place, and passion. We believe that if you put the right people, in the right place, with shared passions and college preparatory academics, you’ll not just improve the life of a young person, but change the world by helping to create driven and compassionate citizens.

YOU ARE INVITED

We invite you to learn more about us through this website and to give us a call or visit our beautiful campus so we may share what drives us to make your student’s success our focus.

Guest UserSeptember 13, 2018