Dear CVA Community, 

The winter season is officially underway, and as I watch our student-athletes train on our home mountain, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible community we share. This community extends far beyond our campus, encompassing the vibrant Carrabassett Valley and the many families, supporters, and partners who make the CVA experience so special. 

On behalf of our Students and Employees, I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Sugarloaf Mountain for its dedication to early-season training opportunities, and to the Sugarloaf Ski Club, which recently celebrated 75 years of unwavering support for local athletes. Together, we share a commitment to supporting one another and a deep appreciation for our shared love of the outdoors - a bond that truly unites us. 

I am honored to be part of this exceptional community and inspired by the values that continue to shape the next generation of CVA students. As we head into the holiday season, I wish you and your families a joyful holiday, filled with warmth and plenty of time on-snow. 

Alex Godomsky '91, CVA Head of School

CVA coaches, athletes, and their families kicked off the 2024-2025 Weekend Program on Saturday, December 7th. 245 Alpine, Freestyle, Snowboard, Ski Cross, and U8 athletes reunited with old friends and welcomed new team members.

The CVA Weekend Program offers competitive athletes the opportunity to train and compete from December to March. The program strives to help each athlete be the best they can be in skiing and snowboarding by building strong technical skills, promoting sportsmanship, and instilling a life-long love of skiing and riding.

Here’s to an incredible season of training, learning, and fun!

CVA is pleased to welcome two new Board members, Nat Kibbe ’98 and Erik Kankainen ’01. Nat and Erik will fill seats vacated by board members Sudheer Tyagi P’24 and Benjamin Bisson ’09, who completed their terms this year. A Big Dog thank you to Benjamin and Sudheer for their service to our academy.

Erik Kankainen '01 is a Partner at The Rohatyn Group, where he oversees the firm’s forestry and agriculture investment activity in North America. Erik is originally from Kingfield, Maine, and grew up in the weekend race program at Sugarloaf, where his father also coached. He competed as an alpine skier at both Mt Abram Regional High School and CVA, and then for Dartmouth College. At Dartmouth, Erik majored in Economics and earned NCAA D1 All-American honors as a member of the alpine ski team. He later returned to earn an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

Erik and his wife Jacqueline live in greater Boston with their two kids, Abigail and Connor, who are part of the Sugarloaf and CVA weekend ski programs. Erik has stayed involved over the years with the sport, coaching in various capacities. Erik is also a member of the Board of the Sugarloaf Ski Club.

He shares, “I continue to be profoundly grateful for all the support CVA, the Ski Club, and the broader community gave to me over the years in pursuit of my goals. I look forward to helping support the next generation in a similar way.”

Nathaniel “Nat” Kibbe ’98 is a Financial Advisor & Retirement Plan Consultant with UBS Financial Services. Following his graduation and a post-grad year at CVA, he went on to ski at Colby-Sawyer where he graduated with a BA in History before starting his career in finance in Boston. After 12 years in Boston, Nat moved back to Maine and joined UBS in Portland, where he has been for the past 8 years.

For the past 5 years, Nat has been a CVA Finance Audit and Investment Committee member. In addition to the normal committee duties, he has helped review and evaluate the current CVA 403(b) retirement plan. As a scholarship and financial aid recipient, he is passionate about finding ways to help the school meet and exceed its financial goals, while making it as accessible as possible to all students, regardless of their economic background.

Outside of work, Nat enjoys sailing, golf, and getting on snow when he can. Nat will continue to be a member of the Finance, Audit, and Investment Committee and will join the Facilities and Partnerships Committee.

Congratulations to the CVA Student Spotlight award winners for November! Each month CVA teachers and staff nominate students who exemplify what being a Big Dog is all about in each of the three foundational pillars of our mission: academics, athletics, and community.

Thank you to D'Ellie's Bakery & Deli for sponsoring our Student Spotlight award recipients.

Athlete of the Month

Val is a first year Big Dog who has shown great commitment to her sport and her team. She is very athletically talented and is not afraid to work hard to meet the challenges she faces. She has been instrumental in strengthening the team bond among the CVA female snowboard community, helping to create a friend group within the team. Thank you, Val, for being such an awesome Big Dog!

Community Member of the Month

Bea is a great asset to the CVA Moguls team and to the Big Dog community at large. This year she has taken a big role in the leadership of the team, spending her free time organizing team meals when the group travels and being a mentor to the younger team members. She even made desserts for the crew. Around campus, her cheerfulness and positivity are inspiring. Way to be, Bea!

High School Student of the Month

Tommy is an excellent student who thinks deeply and asks good questions. He puts a lot of effort into his school work, strives for perfection, and makes good choices, resulting in high marks. Keep up the good work, Tommy!

Middle School Student of the Month

Charlie is a great addition to the Big Dog family and has put 100% effort into his academics from day one. He is enthusiastic and confident. We are proud of your commitment to academics, Charlie!

High Honors: all grades 90 (A) or above

Grade 8: Curtis Dohan, Jasper Eiermann, and Penny Riotte

Grade 9: Siena Arsenault, Anders Hildebrand, and Wynn Stern

Grade 10: Tommy Fremont-Smith

Grade 11: Ali Bruno, Milla Manheim, and Lauren Waskowitz

Grade 12: Mia Bruno, Lily Cole, Jack Egan, Skye Folger David, Ben Mallory, and Lily-Jane Sparkes

Honors: all grades 85 (B) or above

Grade 7: Charlie Macleod

Grade 8: Davis Awamleh and Claire Thomson

Grade 9: Nick Dame and Cam Manson

Grade 10: August Enos, Tatum Folger David, Ethan Godomsky, Nick Klemperer, and Max Roy

Grade 11: Sofia Murray, Bridget Sapak, Trenton Wadas, and Nyssa Wilkinson

Grade 12: Berk Glidden, Paul Harrigan, Bea Holstein, Soren Krych, Emily Peck, and Sully Platte

Congratulations to all of the Big Dogs named to the 1st Trimester Honor Roll!

Congratulations to CVA Moguls athlete, Jack Egan ’25, for his fantastic start to the season! Competing against top athletes on Austria’s Hintertux Glacier in the European season opener, Jack placed an impressive 5th in moguls, and 9th in dual moguls!

Congratulations to CVA Ski Cross athlete, Morgan Shute '25, on her impressive 4th place finish at the Europa Cup at Pitztaler Gletscher, making her the highest-placing female in the US! What an amazing start to the Ski Cross season!

CVA proudly celebrates alumna, Charlie Koenig ’24, who was chosen to forerun the 2024 Stifel Killington Cup over Thanksgiving weekend at Killington Resort. Now a freshman at Williams College and a member of the Williams Alpine Ski Team, Charlie’s dedication and love for skiing continue to shine.

A huge congratulations to Big Dog, Sam Morse '13 for his 21st place finish at the legendary Beaver Creek Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS Ski World Cup! Competing against the world’s best, Sam took on the iconic Birds of Prey racecourse—a true test of speed, precision, and determination—and delivered an outstanding performance. We’re so proud to see Sam representing CVA on one of the sport’s most prestigious stages. Way to go, Moose! 

Before Thanksgiving break, the CVA U14, U16, and FIS Alpine teams had productive pre-season training camps in Loveland, Colorado. The athletes worked hard, fine-tuning their skills and gearing up for the season.

The CVA Backcountry team had an incredible time exploring the rock faces of Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Rock climbing builds strength and sharpens communication and teamwork; key skills for staying safe while backcountry skiing.

Congratulations to our 10th grade students on completing the Teen Mental Health First Aid course! Led by Tristy Wolfe, CVA’s Director of Sports Medicine & High Performance, this program equips students with essential skills to identify, understand, and respond to mental health challenges and crises among their peers. 

A Big Dog thank you to the CVA Parent Support Organization for putting on another successful Wreath Sale! This year, the PSO sold more than 650 wreaths and raised over $27,000.

We are grateful to everyone who purchased a wreath this year and helped support educational, cultural, and athletic programs at CVA. Thank you!

The season of giving is upon us, a time when we open our hearts with gratitude for the gifts we receive and those we give. Thank you to everyone - alumni, parents, trustees, family, and friends - for your commitment to CVA through your generosity.

We are off to a great start with our fundraising goals for the year and the skiing and snowboarding season, thanks to the gift of a cold and snowy December!

If you have not yet made a gift to CVA this year, please consider doing so, knowing that your generosity helps sustain the CVA experience for our student-athletes. We are dedicated to supporting the efforts of our inspiring teachers and devoted coaching staff while providing academic enrichment and world-class training for an extraordinary group of young, talented athletes and scholars. 

Thank you for thinking of CVA during this season of giving. We wish you and your family a joyous holiday season!

Josh Reynolds, CVA Director of Development

The CVA Alumni Association invites you to the

2024 CVA Alumni Reunion!

Saturday, December 28, 2024

6:00 - 8:00 PM

in the CVA Atrium on the King Cummings Campus

5015 Begins Way, Carrabassett Valley

Located off the Access Road, across from The Rack.

Reconnect with Old Friends and Make New Connections

Kid-Friendly Event: Supervised activities for kids will be available on campus at the Murfey Hall dorm, so you can relax and enjoy the party in the Atrium. 

Registration Perks: Register for a chance to win exclusive CVA merchandise! Registration also secures space for your child at Murfey Hall. Registration is requested but not required. If you’re on the hill, feel free to pop in! 

Help Spread the Word: Please share this event with your CVA Alumni network via email, Facebook, and Instagram. 

For more information, contact Melissa Fogg at mfogg@gocva.com or 207-237-4505.

CVA Alumni Committee Members: Melissa Fogg, Tom Fremont-Smith '91, Alex Godomsky '91,

Amanda Newton Gray '96, Lindy MacKinnon Gruen '92, Megan Friend Hildebrand '99, Katie Houser '08,

Josh Reynolds, Jolie Ritzo '99, Vici Robinson, Julia Savage '12, Pete Smith '08, and Michelle Wade '87

Happy 75th Anniversary to the Sugarloaf Ski Club!

Since the beginning, the Sugarloaf Ski Club has been an integral part of CVA's creation and growth. Thank you for being a fantastic partner to the Academy and the biggest cheerleader of our Big Dogs!

The mission of the Sugarloaf Ski Club is to provide the opportunity for all youth to participate and excel in skiing and snowboarding, promote community-building events, support competition, and preserve the history and heritage of the mountain. To become a member, or to renew your membership, click on the link below.