Eimee Meneses, one of Park City High School’s top students, has taken care of SOS Outreach, a nonprofit that is helping break down barriers to access for kids interested in skiing and snowboarding, when she was in sixth grade.
“I was always excited to try new things, especially if it was outdoors, and I never really did anything in the winter,” she said. “So joining SOS was a good thing for me.”
Meneses and his family moved to Park City from the Philippines in 2014 in search of greater job opportunities. He also found other opportunities, adding that he was interested in snowboarding.
She credited SOS for expanding her self-confidence and forming lasting friendships.
Without SOS, Summit and Wasatch County kids like Meneses might never have developed a love for skiing and snowboarding, especially as the industry grows more and more inaccessible, both financially and culturally for kids of color.
That’s why, after three decades, SOS is more present than ever, said Seth Ehrlich, the group’s chief executive.
“The isolation that young people experience, the demanding situations to find a sense of belonging and a support network have increased over the last 30 years,” Ehrlich said.
That’s a trend in general, but especially for kids growing up in ski hotel communities, he said, where there’s even more exclusivity than meets the eye.
“There is simply the global otherness of sport. . . So there’s harassment that just happens because of the general culture that’s out there,” she said. “And then there are also genuine functional areas, the addition of equipment, the perceived load; it feels like it’s a beloved sport. “
In spaces like Vail, Colorado, where SOS was founded in 1993, children’s access to skiing and skiing depended largely on the circle of family and friends.
“It’s still a game and an activity that, if you’ve been in it, if your parents have led you to it, if you’ve had smart friends. . . Chances are, you’ll come. If you’re outside, it’s hard to get in,” he said.
Unfortunately, Ehrlich said, this exclusion from winter sports has traditionally affected young people from underserved teams, and it’s not because they’re not there.
“When you think about the backbone of mountain communities, the other people who make this happen, many of them are immigrants from other countries where you can’t ski or ride horses. And they’re here for the wonderful job opportunities, but their families do not participate,” Ehrlich said.
This is certainly true of Park City, noted by mid-2000s Park City Mayor Dana Williams, who acknowledged then that “without immigrant laborers in restaurant, lodging and landscaping business, among others, (this) town could not operate.”
But how many of the families who have called Park City home for generations have gone world-class skiing in their backyards?
“If you’re outside, it’s hard to get in,” Ehrlich said. “That’s where it’s critical to have organizations like SOS and many others that are present in this space. “
Now in its 30th year, SOS serves students in grades four through twelfth, 70% of whom are youth of color, and its programming has continued to grow.
Initially, the organization called the Snowboard Outreach Society because its goal was to improve “the negative societal belief about snowboard culture that existed in the 1980s and early 1990s,” its online page says.
They temporarily grew and began to evolve at the request of their participants, providing more days on the mountain, adding mentorships, and finding partners in the industry. They also began expanding to more ski spaces in the United States, and now operate in 15 communities. in 10 states.
In 2015, they landed in Park City and welcomed him with open arms, Ehrlich said.
“Park City is now the equivalent of Vail, and Vail, where we’ve been for 30 years, has a maximum effect on metrics. And that’s a big component of the uniqueness and strength of Park City’s network,” he said. “People who really need things to get better and who believe that everyone in a network deserves to have equal opportunities. “
After nearly 10 years of activity at the Wasatch Back, SOS expects 525 participants this year, adding 228 from Summit County, 237 from Wasatch County and 60 from Salt Lake City.
They basically recruit participants through partnerships with schools.
“We work with schools in Wasatch Back and Summit counties. We identified researchers in schools, who then recruited the children, so there is already a reliable dating,” Ehrlich said.
The program is curriculum-based and committed to personal progress on and off the mountain. Positive decision-making, how to set goals, how to stand up for yourself – those are some of the skills SOS hopes to expand and confidence in sport.
Students can begin participating in the Fourth Grade Introductory Program, which offers five days of skiing or ski instruction over five weeks. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of SOS and mountain partners, the cost of this program is $100, which includes tickets and equipment.
Then, in grades 5-9, students are invited to participate in the mentoring program, which pairs 4 students with an adult mentor, an SOS volunteer. Once a month during the school year, students and their mentor get together to spend days skiing or snowboarding. This program is priced at $150 for the student, which also includes lift tickets and equipment.
“We have 75-year-old mentors connecting with 12-year-olds, which is a very difficult age to reach,” Ehrlich said with a laugh. “And they can do it because they either share a hobby with combination outdoors. “
Once young people leave those programs, they can still get involved in SOS as youth mentors, along with teams of mentors to teach and expand relationships with younger students.
“This is the first year in Park City that we will have a large number of young mentors committed to delivering the program,” Ehrlich said, with 14 youth mentors signed up to participate this season.
One of this year’s junior mentors is Meneses, who decided to give back to the program that meant so much to her.
“Since SOS was a life-changing program, I wanted to continue to be a part of it and sought out for other young people to enjoy what I had enjoyed as a youth by participating in the program,” she said. My goal is not only to help other young children gain confidence in their skiing or skiing abilities, but also to laugh, enjoy the mountain and interact with others. “
Partnerships with Park City resorts such as Deer Valley, Park City Mountain and Woodward have helped make those opportunities a reality for SOS participants, Ehrlich said. In addition, from gadget brands and rental stores, such as Christy Sports, young people are guaranteed to get the mandatory gadgets. at an affordable cost.
While it’s true that organizations like SOS were founded because of a damaged society, their lifestyle is a much-needed remedy, Ehrlich said.
“There is a huge impact that happens just by being a part of what everyone else is able to do,” said Ehrlich. “We’re dedicated for the very long-term future of providing opportunities for kids to thrive through this amazing sport and through what is such a big part of the Park City environment,” he said.
To receive more information about SOS Outreach or sign up for programming, their website, sosoutreach. org.
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