Killington, VT – This Friday, Dylan Malone, of Needham, Mass., Rutland, Vt.’s Jack Salisbury and Marshall Tamsin, of Simsbury, Conn., will stand atop Killington’s Superstar ski trail to become the first to graduate from Killington Mountain School’s (KMS) new full-term academic program. Chris Nyberg, president and general manager of Killington and Pico Resorts, will deliver the inaugural commencement address.
Student-athletes, their parents, KMS coaches, faculty and staff will travel up to the top of Superstar at 3 p.m. for a special ceremony and commencement and then celebrate with a BBQ and festivities.
“When these student-athletes arrived on campus last September, they stepped into a special role of being the first student-athletes to officially graduate with a high school diploma from KMS,” said Tao Smith, head of school. Until last fall, KMS had only offered a five-month academic track throughout its 36-year history, where the student-athlete received the high school diploma from the sending school, not KMS. “These seniors have set an amazing example of what it means to pursue their winter sports passions on a year-round level and follow a rigorous, college-preparatory course of study at the same time. Wherever their path may lead them, all of us here at KMS wish them the best for a successful and fulfilling future.”
KMS offers training in alpine ski, snowboard, freestyle, freeskiing and now cycling. The school now offers two academic tracks for student-athletes, where individuals can choose the best academic option to complement their athletic pursuits. In September, 12 student-athletes in grades nine through 12 became members of the inaugural full-term program.
Student-athletes in the school’s full-term program handle a greater academic course load in the fall and spring, allowing them to compete in the winter months with fewer scholastic conflicts. Off-season sport offerings include both mountain and road bike racing under the banner of the new Killington Mountain School Cycling Team, as well as access to individual and club team sports.
“The full-term program serves the athletic and academic demands of those accomplished student-athletes who choose to remain close to KMS for the full year, as they balance elite competition with an exceptional high school education,” said Smith. “For those who pursue sports and other activities in their home communities, the five-month program will continue to be at the heart and soul of KMS.”