Winter sports school

I don't know if the entire AP story will make the paper, so thought I'd share an abridged version. It's about a special school in Utah for elite winter athletes. You can click on the link to read more:

PARK CITY, Utah — Back to school. It’s the time of year students dread the most. But for 14-year-old Jessie Delacenserie it’s made worse because it also means winter is over. That’s right. Winter. Delacenserie is a student in the Winter Sports School in Park City. The school is in session from April to November giving students — most of them elite winter athletes — time off when the snow flies to pursue their slippery goals.

Notable alumni include Olympic gold medal skiers Julia Mancuso and Ted Ligety and for students like Delacenserie, who has been ski racing since 5, there’s no choice. “It’s pretty much my life,” Delacenserie said of ski racing. “I’ve been missing school since, like, second grade."

The WSS program is modeled after the international baccalaureate program and is rigorous and college preparatory. And it makes for an interesting population, teachers say. "Everyone is a risk taker by nature. It’s far from your average classroom in America," said teacher-coach Rob Clayton.

This year’s class will consist of about 50 percent alpine ski racers, the rest are freestyle skiers or snowboarders, speedskaters, ski jumpers, Nordic and cross-country skiers and bobsled, luge or skeleton sliders.

Enrollment is capped at 60 students. Tuition is $15,075, which includes books, field trips and activities. There are no dorms. Students from out of state/country live with host families in Park City.