As winter winds down, students at the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb are celebrating a season of building their skills as cross country skiers. Over the past few months, kids in grades pre-K through eight have been spending many of their physical education classes getting up and out on skis, led by Misha Barker of Hearty Roots in Damariscotta.

All of the students, five-year-olds and teenagers alike, have made the most of this winter’s many inches of snow by spending time outdoors getting comfortable on their school skis, which were either invested in by CTL or donated by families.

The Center for Teaching and Learning partners with Hearty Roots for its physical education curriculum. Barker, the organization’s Program Director, reflects on the experience of working with skiers across grade levels: “Throughout the ages, it was great to see independence growing—from starting on one ski to feeling confident—and now every year they’ll learn new skills.” She remarked that CTL’s middle school students’ ability “took off this year” and noted the great social component of the sport for them. A highlight for Barker was seeing “how resilient the kids could be, and watching them get up after every fall.” 

While a few kids use their own equipment, for the most part, the skis and ski boots are part of CTL’s investment in making cross country skiing accessible to all its students. The school added to its collection this year via donations of smaller, outgrown sizes from some families and by purchasing new and used ski boots for the middle schoolers. Head of School Katy Inman says, “CTL tries to respond to educational research as the school designs curriculum, and research suggests that time outdoors each day increases students’ academic achievement in addition to their self-confidence, social skills, and physical health. Skiing is a joyful way for students to grow a potential life-long outdoor interest and skill set.”

Barker speaks to the long-term benefits of this winter’s outdoor learning. “Kids who had never hopped on skis in their life have now found access to this amazing thing Maine has to offer, and they’ll continue to have access to it for the rest of their time at school.” 

To learn more about CTL, please visit our website at www.c-t-l.org, or contact CTL’s Head of School, Katy Inman, at katy@c-t-l.org.