HGTV Dream Home 2011

We have some big news to share about an exciting new project in collaboration with the HGTV Dream Home 2011. HGTV, a top-rated network in home and lifestyle programming, is giving one lucky viewer the chance to win a modern, alpine lodge in Stowe, Vermont. The winner of the 15th HGTV Dream Home 2011 grand prize package will also win a 2011 GMC Acadia Denali, five hundred thousand dollars in cash AND every single item in the house.

So how does MMWA fit in? The public is invited to tour the HGTV Dream Home 2011 January 7 - March 20, and all proceeds from the tours benefit us! This is an incredible opportunity for MMWA, and we are responsible for organizing the tour logistics, reservations, and staffing the volunteer tour guides.

 
If you are interested in helping out with this project, here is some key information:

• Public tours begin on Friday, January 7, 2011, and continue through Sunday, March 20, 2011. 
• The tours take place Friday through Sunday, every half hour, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tours begin and end at Spruce Camp, Stowe Mountain Resort.
• Tickets cost $20 per person.

We are seeking volunteers who would be interested in learning about the house, staffing different zones inside the house, and greeting guests while tours are in progress. Here is what is involved:

• An initial training session on the HGTV Dream Home 2011.
• Minimum of a three-day commitment.
• Availability in January, February, and/or March.
• Availability Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

We are thrilled to be part of the HGTV Dream Home 2011, and hope you will consider participating in this fund-raising effort as a volunteer or will visit the house for a tour. Details on ticket sales are forthcoming.

Please email or call Cassie Smith if you would like to volunteer or want more information.
csmith@mmwa.org or (802) 253-7409 x108

We hope to hear from you!

Holiday Cheer

With only a few days of classes left for Winter Break officially begins next Thursday, December 23, everyone is feeling quite festive around here. It helps that we've had consistent snowfall throughout the week and the skiing is getting better each day. The lights are up, the wreath is hung, and the tree is decorated with care. Now we just need to get the fireplace going and cozy up with some hot cocoa after a hard day of training. Here's a great shot of J2 Ben Greenspan with our lovely little MMWA holiday tree which is now standing fully decorated in the dining room.

Good news

Getting the acceptance envelope from a college of choice is always a stressful waiting game. But for three of our seniors, they can breathe a little easier. Jimmy, Cat and Jordan recently received early decision notifications and they got in! They are elated and we are all quite proud of them here at MMWA.

Jimmy Mallon - Colgate University
Cat Mullin - UVM
Jordan Leach - UVM & Colby Sawyer

Congratulations!!

Sneak Peak

We're shooting our annual holiday card photos this week and here are a couple of great shots of the J3 group at the Spruce Peak base. And, as you can see in the photos, it's snowing! 

Jumpstart!

Introducing our Jumpstart students this year: Anthony, Devon, Elly, and Ryan (L to R in the photo).

They are all J3s and are settling into the routine here at MMWA. For those of you who aren't familiar with our Jumpstart program, it is a three-week session running December 1-21 and is open to J3, snowboard or freeride athletes. It's a great way for students who would like to experience the Academy setting or get a jump on the season with intensive training and academic support in a condensed time frame. While we will be sad to see these students leave, they are a great addition to the MMWA community and hopefully will be primed for a successful race season.

The Vail Girls

Here are the MMWA gals at the Birds of Prey World Cup Event:

Clearly everyone had a great time at Beaver Creek and we look forward to hearing all the stories upon their return tomorrow. Next up, I promise to post some local pics from Stowe and will fill you in on the happenings here at school this week.

More from Vail

Shelly sent along a few more Vail photos and also this brief update:

"Another beautiful day today with temperatures rising into the high 30s. Mostly clear skis and cold temperatures last night made for great training. The PG and J1-2 boys were training a regular, full-length GS and the J1-2 girls and J3 were training a brush GS course."

Training hill from bottom

Training hill from lift

Training lanes from start looking down to Vail

Meanwhile, here in Stowe we are having some snow flurries and the mountain is open! The good news is that it looks like it will keep snowing through the weekend and the students are finally getting out on the hill.

Update from Vail

A group of 27 MMWA students recently traveled to Vail, Colo. with MMSC for early season training. Leaving the day after Thanksgiving, they arrived to fresh powder and cold temperatures! Here's the word from Shelly Martin, MMWA's Development Director and Health Teacher, who is staying in Vail with the group and overseeing the daily study sessions:

"Crisp air (hovering around 0 - 10 degrees) and bluebird skies today.  Absolutely gorgeous.  The J2 and J3s free skied again today, enjoying the amazing groomers and the J1s and PGs trained GS bright and early, 7 - 9:30 AM.  Now most kids are out watching the first FIS race of the season and cheering on their buddy Cam."

Shelly also emailed some awesome pics to post:

Jordan, Cat, Linley, and Macky on the cat track

Issy, Alita, Sam H., Jordan, and Macky

J2 boys on the hill

J3 boys on the bus

Ryan, Tucker, and Fran on the lift

Sophie, Kelsey, Sam H., and Sam D. ready to ski

Hitting the books at study hall

J1/2 girls on the hill

Everyone is headed to Beaver Creek for the Birds of Prey World Cup event on Sunday, December 5 and then traveling back to Vermont to resume classes on December 8. We're still waiting for a good snowstorm here in Stowe, but are glad to see that the Vail group is getting in some great skiing.

More shots from Community Day

These are some photos taken by one of our parent volunteers, Suzanne Danzig. Suzanne and MMWA social studies teacher Emily Bland took a group of students to help the Lamoille County Food Shelf package and distribute food in preparation for Thanksgiving. Thanks again for helping out!

Community Day

MMWA capped off the first week of classes with its Annual Community Day as a way to embrace and enhance local communities. The theme of community is really about locality, region, dwelling, and at the heart of it all, people. The morning opened with the opportunity to build relationships within our school community. The students enjoyed different group activities together and played some games to get to know each other a little more. Students then got to choose between ice skating, flag football, and yoga--followed by a delicious lunch.

Playing football in the field across from MMWA

The afternoon presented the chance to build relationships and volunteer opportunities in our local community. Students, staff, and parent volunteers scattered across Stowe and Morrisville for three different community service projects for the following organizations: United Way, Lamoille County Food Shelf, and Project Linus. The United Way group prepared and stacked firewood for those in need of winter heating assistance; Lamoille County Food Shelf volunteers put together festive holiday food baskets; and the Project Linus crew designed and sewed together quilts that will be distributed to children in hospitals, shelters, and social service agencies.

Here are some shots from the Project Linus group at work:

Thanks to all for helping to make Community Day so successful!

Welcome to the MMWA blog!

Thanks for stopping by and having a peak at the new MMWA blog. We are going to be posting news, events, and the weekly happenings at MMWA on the blog, so be sure to follow us here for these updates! Also, you can expect lots of pictures and postings of various events at the Academy. This is really an informal way to not only publish important news, but also to show snippets and slices of a day in the life of MMWA. Enjoy!