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Show Features WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1,2010 THE SIGNPOST School is out, slopes are open Cody Lee does a tailslide down a boarding rail at Windell's Camp resort in M t Hood, Ore. Lee, a sophomore, is president of Weber State University's Snowboard and Free-Ski Club. SOURCE: CODV IEE WSU winter sports fans are ready to be out in the mountains By Sara Baldwin correspondent I The Signpost With recent weather changes and winter break fast approaching, many Wildcats are looking forward to ditching the books and hitting the slopes. "I can't wait to finish finals, so I can dedicate more time to that powder," said Michelle Inkier, 23, a sophomore majoring in general studies and an avid snowboarder. "I love right after a storm, flying down the hill and taking advantage of the fresh snow," Inkier said. "I prefer Canyons and Powder Mountain (as resorts), but I have friends at most of the resorts, so I get hooked up." sport and club benefits. Students wishing to join the club or get more information can find the group on Facebook or in Room 21 of the Swenson Gym. The WSU snowboarders and skiers also hold meetings every Friday at the Flowrider Inkier has been skiing and snowboarding in downtown Ogden's Salomon Center at since kindergarten and buys season passes The Junction, and offer $5 one-hour surfing to multiple resorts each year. Like other sessions. WSU snow enthusiasts, Inkier said she is "Surfing is very similar to snowboarding/' considering joining the WSU Snowboard Inkier said. "I've ridden the Flowrider before, and Free-Ski Club. and that's a great way to build core strength For a $10 student membership, the club and get the balance and footing down pat. includes discounted season passes, price- Also, it's a way to stay in practice when there reduced day trips, waxing and tuning clinics, is no snow." discounted gear from sponsors, prize Many ski bums are welcoming the giveaways, competitions and volunteer change in scenery, but some students are opportunities for winter sporting events, disappointed in the sudden snowfall and such as the Utah Rail lams and Dew Tour. quick changes to colder weather. The Snowboarding Club is currently "I love the snow, [but) only because I can accepting new members, and encourages^ snowboard in it," said Chaelease Kailewa, a students with any degree of skill or 22-year-old geography major. She said she experience to take advantage of the local enjoys going to Snowbasin and has been snowboarding for seven years. Bad weather is rarely a problem for these slopes-bound students, but the favored venue and type of snow activities are always up for a debate. Zack Anaya, a 20-year-old psychology major, spends most of his snowboarding time at Snowbasin Resort, but said his favorite resort is The Canyons. "They have the best slopes," Anaya said. He encouraged beginning boarders to try easier resorts first, though. "Snowboarding is an activity for those who feel like skiing isn't lethal enough." John Geister Jr., a 20-year-old sophomore majoring in general studies, has snowboarded for nine years and skied for six. "Both are fun," Geister said. "I think it's all a personal opinion. I feel more comfortable on my board, but I think skiing is easier to See Snow page 10 Making college possible in Ogden Heading home WSU students are leaving for the holidays, but some don't have the money to make it back to school Wildcats work to raise graduation rates in Ogdenarea schools dormitories). I either go to school and my parents pay for housing, or I don't go to school By Kory Wood next semester." Robert Molina, a first- features editor I The Signpost As the semester comes to a close, Weber State University's generation student, is returning diverse student population is to Mexico for the 10th time. At Weber State University's "I have gone to Mexico by nearest neighboring high school, planning an array of winter activities. While some students myself since I was seven," Molina only 3 out of every 5 students are looking forward to the brief said. graduate on average, but several Molina said that WSU students are working to reprieve from their 7 / he and his sister change that statistic. studies, others see "I either go to are taking this the winter break as a Ogden High School, located final farewell and will school and my trip alone. With a few blocks away from WSU's the area being campus, is currently working to not be returning. more dangerous help its struggling senior class. "I'm actually parents pay in recent years, Only 63 percent of students at moving back home," Molina said he is OHS are graduating, and many said Nicole Perry of for housing/ concerned about people and organizations in the Boise, Idaho. drug dealers and community are trying to solve Perry, like many or I don't go cartels in the area. the many causes of this dropout other students, is to school next "It's scary down crisis. feeling the financial there right now pressure of a down semester." "We were really displeased because kids can with the quality of public schools economy. Perry saiji be taken hostage," in the area when we moved here," that living at home would be a cheaper - Ross Walker Molina said, "but said Travis Ellis, who recently alternative to WSU sophonppre you just stay with relocated to Ogden with his someone at all family. "We felt the school system returning to school at cp *'' ' times and don't go was gearing all its teaching to the WSU. Perry is not alone. LuEllen to places you don't know." middle kid, and not doing a lot to Brianna Barfuss, from the help the struggling students or Lang, from Hurricane, Utah, said she is also moving back Ogden area, will be celebrating the gifted ones." home temporarily. Lang said her birthday over the winter Ellis enrolled his four oldest she is "taking a semester off to break. children in Ogden Preparatory "We usually go to Builds- Academy, a private school find work so I can pay for school Bear, as cheesy as that sounds," located in downtown Ogden, again." Ross Walker, a sophomore Barfuss said. She also plans on and said he has been pleased from Kamas, Utah, said he is going to Disneyland with her with the results in the change of also worried about the financial family. "My family likes to go climate, including the required feasibility of returning to school. there during Christmastime." school uniforms and advanced Zhangyi Sun, a junior from curriculum. "My parents cut me off," Walker said. "I'm under Shanghai, China, will visit his % "Education is really important contract for Wasatch (student See Home page 10 to us," he said, "so we stay on By Stephanie Sparkman correspondent I The Signpost PHOTO BY BRYAN BUTTERFIELD | TH£ SIGNPOST Ruth Stubbs is in charge of Education Access and Outreach at WSU. EAO is one of many organizations working to help Ogden students find academic success and see college as a possibility. top of things. Different teachers have different teaching styles, just like different students have different learning styles, and we were worried that the teaching styles in public schools were not meeting our children's learning styles." WSU's Education Access and Outreach program, directed by Ruth Stubbs, is aware of the problems in the Ogden-area public schools, but its employees are working hard to get students through high school and into college on an individual level. Education Access and Outreach, or EAO, was created to help first-generation, lowincome and minority Students find ways to get into higher education. The program helps high school seniors find financial aid for college and walks them through the admissions process, really access-oriented," *See Schools page 10 |