By: Seth Johnson

For Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI) high school student Brandon, taking part in Perfect North Slopes’ adaptive skiing program was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“Skiing is on the top of my board of things to do,” Brandon says. “I would always want to go skiing again.”

Made possible with funding from a Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation grant and IBCF supporters, three groups of ISBVI students and staff ventured to Perfect North Slopes for adaptive skiing lessons in January and February, with each student receiving individual support from a pair of Perfect North instructors.

Upon meeting up with their instructors at Perfect North’s Adaptive Hut, the ISBVI students suited up in their ski gear provided by IBCF before getting to know their instructors a little bit better.

“The instructors were really fantastic,” says ISBVI middle school teacher Greg Albert, who joined the students on one of their trips to Perfect North. “They were really knowledgeable, really patient, and really fun for the kids to be around. They worked in the moment to adapt to the needs of the kids and make it a great day for them. When the kids were tired and needed a break, they’d sit there on the bench and talk with them. I just thought it was a really great day.”

As an experienced skier in her own right, ISBVI music and theater teacher Janelle Pivec enjoyed seeing the students gain confidence over the course of their time at Perfect North Slopes.

“Brandon was willing to go a little bit faster as far as progressing, so the instructors followed his energy and excitement to do more,” Pivec says. “By the end of the day, he was doing the Green runs like a pro.”

After joining ISBVI students and staff on their third and final visit to Perfect North Slopes, Dick’s Sporting Goods Field Marketing Manager Susan Myers says she was impressed with the ISBVI students’ bravery while learning to ski for the first time.

“I was very surprised at how quickly the students became comfortable with skiing and the progress they made each time down the hill,” Myers says. “It was heartwarming to see the joy it brought them to have the opportunity to be out on the slopes and participate.”

Following this unique sporting experience, ISBVI Assistant Principal Gary Ferguson hopes the students have now gained an extra boost of confidence to try new things going forward.

“I think it’s important for the students to understand that just because you’re blind or have low vision it doesn’t mean you can’t go out and do fun things like learning how to ski,” says Ferguson, who joined the students on all three of their trips to Perfect North. “It gives them the confidence to go out and try things that maybe they wouldn’t have tried before.”

In reflecting on the impact of these adaptive skiing trips on ISBVI students, Laura Alvarado, Chief Executive Officer of IBCF, also adds, “Partnership programs like this give students who are blind or have low vision opportunities to explore the outdoors, develop an appreciation for sports and fitness that may otherwise feel inaccessible, strengthen their gross motor skills, and connect with a broader community beyond their school and home.”

Looking back on his time at Perfect North Slopes, ISBVI student Yousef says he hopes to go skiing again someday.

“I was a little nervous at the beginning, but after some time, I got really good at it,” Yousef says. “I would definitely go skiing again. It was really fun, exciting, and exhilarating.”