News Archive
Another Splendid Ski Week
Ski Week could be described as Shawnigan’s “alternate reality” – a parallel universe where the School exists in a different form for a few days.
This year, both organizers and students were unsure what to expect. Conditions on the hill at Manning Park were said to be dubious, and only limited runs would be open. Of course, when all was said and done, many were calling it “the best Ski Week ever.”
“Maybe that was because we were expecting less and got so much more,” Student Life Coordinator Ms. Katrina Cholack said. “The kids kept a positive attitude and took advantage of what was presented to them.”
Students were engaged throughout the week, and took advantage of the many leadership opportunities they were presented with. Grade 11s, most notably, are expected to step up and set an example for their fellow students at Ski Week, in preparation for their senior roles in Grade 12.
Staff tried something new on the first day at Manning Park; while the seniors all went up the mountain to ski and snowboard, the juniors stayed at the base and engaged in a plethora of activities, including but not limited to snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, an Amazing Race, and baking brownies in orange peels over an open fire. After lunch, everyone came down for lunch and then the groups swapped.
Organizers and Manning Park staff met that evening and decided that for the rest of the week, everyone could go up to the mountain, skiing during the day, with other activities in the evening, as has been done in the past.
The change to the schedule on the first day opened some students’ eyes regarding the talents of their instructors. They learned, for example, that Outdoor Education teacher Mr. Kyle Leis is particularly skilled at cooking on a campfire. Many staff members stepped up to make Ski Week magical for the students.
“Seeing the staff run activities that they were passionate about was great for the students,” Ms. Cholack said. “We are so lucky to have such amazing staff. Their commitment to making it about the kids is awesome.”
Three main ways to keep people happy are friendships, freedom of choice and food – and the kitchen staff who travelled to Manning Park did a terrific job of making sure stomachs were full. Also along for the trip were nurses from the School and bus drivers, who went beyond just getting the students to the hill and could even be seen playing board games with students in the evenings.
Off the slopes, the week was packed with inter-House competitions, including snow sculpture building, karaoke, the Reach for the Top trivia showdown, and the cross-country skiing race. A few staff members joined in on the 10k cross-country race, while the winning students stayed at the finish line to cheer on their fellow competitors until the last participant crossed. Grade 8s also capped off the first day with a 7 p.m. snowshoe trek and played capture the flag with headlamps. Students in the Search and Rescue program also took part in the traditional backwoods trek, digging snow caves and camping overnight away from the shelter of the lodges.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
