Lowell Whiteman School‘s Director of Admission, Derek Svennungsen talks with us about the opportunities before students when their school is set at 7,000′ and Steamboat Springs, CO has produced more Winter Olympians than any town in the country (at least 80 winter olympians hail from Steamboat). Lowell Whiteman affords students the chance to balance their intellectual pursuits with an active outdoor life.
Active engagement stands as the hallmark of Lowell Whiteman Students. Early October features desert week. The entire school heads out on a series of small trips (8-10) with each group featuring a different outdoor emphasis- mountain biking, kayaking, horse packing, canyoneering and a 14,000 ft. summit trip.
You can’t go to school in Steamboat without serious skiing as an athletic option. Lowell Whiteman skiers work with coaches through the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club- carrying a reduced course load during the winter term and providing a nice balance between intellectual and athletic ambition. Numerous winter olympians have grown through Lowell Whiteman’s programs. Three time, nordic combined, silver medalist Johnny Spillane is an alumnus.
Each April, the entire school turns its attention to the world beyond Steamboat. Students and faculty pack-up and head out in small groups to engage and immerse themselves in places, cultures, and languages different from their own.
Lowell Whiteman students participate in home stays, service learning projects, wilderness treks with the goal of immersing oneself to become part of their new locale. This year’s trips include, Butan, Chile, Tanzania, and Vietnam and Cambodia.
As Derek makes the case, Lowell Whiteman features “…kids being kids with great adults.”
