Industry News
PARK CITY, UT—The Winter Sports School (WSS) will become the first school in the United States to integrate the Lindsey Vonn Foundation (LVF) accredited #STRONGgirls curriculum into its annual advisory curriculum, focusing on mind, body, relationships, confidence, grit, and leadership. Fostering connections between upper- and lower-classmen, the curriculum will include the entire student body and be implemented as part of the current Advisory Program. In conjunction with training from the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, WSS juniors and seniors will serve as the curriculum leaders.
“The WSS is a natural fit to introduce the LVF #STRONGgirls curriculum because I’ve been in these student-athletes’ shoes and understand that trying to balance education and sport is not easy. Lifting kids up and equipping them with the tools to succeed is something I take seriously, and this collaboration allows us to reach a fantastic group of athletes at a pivotal point in their development. The LVF curriculum goes beyond the slopes, fostering confidence, resilience, and leadership skills that will benefit them in all aspects of life. Supporting the WSS ultimately means supporting the pipeline of success for Team USA in the 2034 Winter Olympics. With the recent announcement of Salt Lake City as the Olympic host site, the timing of this partnership couldn’t be more impactful and exciting.”
– Lindsey Vonn, Olympic Champion, NYT best-selling author, entrepreneur and founder of the Lindsey Vonn Foundation
The WSS will host Vonn and the Lindsey Vonn Foundation Youth Ambassador team at a private event in August at the school. At the event, Vonn and LVF alumni will provide an overview of the #STRONGgirls program. Through the Lindsey Vonn Foundation Ambassador presentation, WSS students and alumnae will learn about #STRONGgirls camp mentor role opportunities.
LVF plans to host a confidence-building #STRONGgirls camp for 11-14-year-old girls in the region in the summer of 2025. The #STRONGgirls camps are designed to provide attendees with mentors to guide them over two days of action-packed confidence-building activities. Attendees will be uniquely challenged to step out of their comfort zone, build determination and grit, and review a curriculum workbook containing self-reflective activities they can complete after camp.
“While Lindsey never attended the WSS, she inherently understands the significance of our mission and the unique educational needs of highly dedicated student-athletes. We gladly welcome her hands-on experience in integrated science-based curriculum and look forward to working with the Lindsey Vonn Foundation on future initiatives.”
– Jessie Levesque, Winter Sports School Director of Curriculum and Instruction
The WSS is the only public charter high school program in the United States with an academic calendar from April through November each year. The educational and athletic success of the WSS community over the past 30 years includes graduates claiming Olympic, World Championship, World Cup, National, Collegiate, and Junior titles in multiple sports. In its 31st year of operation, the school offers a unique tuition-free educational experience that meets a growing need within the community. Though an integral part of the community, WSS receives considerably less funding per student than the public school district due to its public charter status. Private contributions to supplement public funds are critical in allowing exceptional student-athletes to “chase greatness” in the classroom and pursue their athletic endeavors.
The WSS is in the final phase of a $5 million Reaching New Peaks capital campaign project, including an 8,732-square-foot expansion to the current building, renovations to existing spaces, and a new amphitheater. The demand for existing school facilities has reached capacity. The School has raised $2.8 million to date, and the Board is aggressively pursuing all funding opportunities to raise the remaining $2.2 million necessary to begin the project.
To learn more about the Winter Sports School and the Lindsey Vonn Foundation partnership, visit https://www.wintersportsschool.org and https://www.lindseyvonnfoundation.org/.
