JUNE E-SPILLWAY NEWSLETTER |
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Commencement 2022 - 40 Years of CVA Graduates! |
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Last Saturday, nineteen student-athletes graduated from Carrabassett Valley Academy, receiving their diplomas at the Richard Bell Chapel, at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain. We also had two winter term seniors who received certificates of attendance to recognize their time at CVA.
This year's commencement marked the 40th anniversary of Carrabassett Valley Academy's founding, which took place in 1982.
Congratulations to the 40th graduating class at CVA- the Class of 2022!
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Head of School Kate Punderson remarked during the ceremony "Your high school experience has not been similar to any other graduating class. In your sophomore year you experienced an abrupt end to life on campus when we went into COVID lockdown in March. In your junior year, you faced COVID testing, masking, isolation, canceled competitions, and missed social events. In your senior year, you endured another year of uncertainty, but the one thing that is for certain is that my confidence in the success of the class of 2022 has never wavered." |
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The Valedictorian, Noah Koenig, and Salutatorian, Cameron Arner, addressed the class during the ceremony, along with Senior Class Choice speaker, Eli Fournier, and Faculty Choice speaker, Hoku Caroselli.
Commencement speaker, Nessa Dziemian '12, inspired our students with her journey from CVA moguls athlete, to World Cup athlete and National Champion, to Olympic coach, to artist and entrepreneur.
Five awards were handed out during commencement to student-athletes that best exemplified the criteria for each award. Award recipients were:
- Hoku Caroselli received the John Ritzo Headmaster's Award, for her leadership qualities and her notable contributions to the betterment of the school and the local community.
- Henry Currier received the David Holmes Most Improved Student Award, for showing the most growth over the course of his time at CVA.
- Drew Hooker received the Benjamin Weisbein Academic Scholarship Award for best exemplifying the qualities that Ben had - superb athleticism, a tireless work ethic, and high academic standing. Drew, like Ben, truly represents the “CVA way” through her outstanding athletics, serious scholarship, continued personal development, and strength of character.
- Josie Alexander received the CVA Alumni Association Award, for exhibiting a strong and steady character, reliability, a consistently positive attitude, and respect for others. Josie is committed to “doing her best” academically, athletically, and in the school community.
- Sasha Jansujwicz received the J. Keith Penninger Memorial Fund Award for representing CVA in terms of leadership and commitment to the CVA mission and community.
The H. King Cummings Service Award, in memory of King Cummings, was presented to Dave and Shelley Koenig for providing valuable service, beyond normal expectations, their strong commitment to the advancement of the CVA mission, and for their outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Carrabassett Valley Academy for the past 22 years.
After the ceremony, students, families, and friends gathered together to celebrate the graduates. It was truly a beautiful, and memorable day. Congratulations, CVA Class of 2022!
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On the eve of graduation, our seniors got together as a class, along with their family and friends to celebrate their successes and memories with one another at the annual Senior Banquet.
During the banquet, the Class of 2022 enjoyed one last big meal together while viewing the annual senior slideshow and hearing excerpts from seniors' "I believe" poems.
Banquet Speaker, Drew Hooker, gave an eloquent, and heartfelt speech to the Senior Class about her time at CVA, and how it has helped shape her into who she is today.
There were two other speeches given at the event as well. Lindy McKinnon Gruen '92 welcomed the Class of 2022 to the CVA Alumni Association. Erika Arner P'23 offered a toast to the Class of 2022, on behalf of senior parents.
The Denny Flag Award, established in 2015 by former CVA Trustee and alumni parents Jim and Priscilla Denny P’87, was presented to Cassidy Strunk for her leadership and contributions to the CVA community. In honor of her commitment to academics and athletics at CVA, Cassidy was presented with the actual flag that has flown on the CVA campus for the past year.
The class also presented their Senior Gift to the CVA Community.
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Every year, the senior class at CVA donates a gift to the school.
This year's class gift will provide an opportunity for CVA students and staff to come together, as a community, and have some fun! That's because this year, the senior class donated a volleyball court!
Volleyball has long been a tradition at CVA. There was a volleyball court at the Capricorn Building for years, but it was taken down a few years ago during construction.
The new sand volleyball court, which was constructed near the Fremont-Smith field, is just steps away from the Webber Academic Center. Now students can enjoy volleyball, soccer, track, and slackline activities all in one place.
Thank you to the Class of 2022 for the gift and to Picea Earth and Stone for doing all of the earthwork to make this gift possible.
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What Happens Next for Our Seniors? |
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"You're off to great places. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so...Get on your way!" - Dr. Seuss
We are so proud of all of our seniors who are on their way to new, great adventures. Their journey at CVA has been unique to each one of them, and so are their post-graduate plans.
- Almudena Abreu - University of New Hampshire
- Cameron Arner - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Abbygail Byers - Post-Graduate Year at CVA
- Hoku Caroselli - University of Colorado Boulder
- Henry Currier - Maine Maritime Academy
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Tyler Currier - Post-Graduate Year/University of Colorado Boulder
- Lance Dolan - University of Maine Farmington
- Osten Duncan - Freeride Coach at Bridger Bowl
- Elijah Fournier - Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Adin Freeman - Clarkson University
- Daniel Godomsky - Plymouth State University
- Luca Graham - Queen's University (Ontario)
- Haley Hessinger - Post-Graduate Year/University of Utah
- Drew Hooker - University of Utah
- Noah Koenig - Middlebury College
- Weston Lee - Norwich University
- Lake Lindelof - University of Maine Farmington
- Myles McKenzie - Apprenticeship/Master Electrician School
- Lucas Prouvost - St. Lawrence University
- Cassidy Strunk - Montana State University
- Zackary Zaman - University of Utah
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Smart Strategies for College Planning with Jenny Wiltse-McClure |
Jenny is a long-time resident of Carrabassett Valley and grew up skiing at Sugarloaf. She is a graduate of the University of Maine, Orono with a degree in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science, as well as continuing education credits through Montana State University in education, curriculum development, astronomy, environmental chemistry, and meteorology. Prior to CVA, Jenny had over 10 years of experience teaching science at Stearns High School in Millinocket and Madison Area Memorial High School. She started at CVA as a teacher prior to accepting her current role as College Counselor.
As the CVA College Counselor, her primary focus is to help students plan for their lives after high school and to help them (and their families) navigate choices that will set them up for success in whatever they may choose to do after CVA. We sat down with Jenny for a Q &A about her role as the College Counselor, collegiate industry trends, and recommendations to families surrounding college planning. Here's what she said.
How do you help to prepare students at CVA for college?
Our tight knit community gives me the opportunity to know the students well in terms of their personal interests, learning styles, career field preferences, and future goals which makes my job so much easier. We spend both scheduled class time in the spring and fall and lots of individual meetings throughout the year to conduct research, develop plans, and submit applications for a variety of options in the hopes that students will have several paths to choose from for their future plans as the end of high school nears.
What advice would you give CVA students, and their families, as they start to think about college?
Keep balance in mind. I feel that it is never too early to start talking about college planning. Getting an idea of where a student would like to go based on location and surroundings is a great way to start the conversation early on. But it is equally important to keep in mind that we are working with kids. Amongst the college planning, resume building, and job experiences, don't forget to keep some time set aside for students to just have fun and some time to themselves or with friends.
Have you seen any shifts in terms of collegiate preferences over the last few years?
A major shift in the overall college application process is that there is less emphasis on numbers and more on the "human" aspect of the application. GPAs are still very important, but many schools are becoming test-optional and SAT scores are not as heavily considered. Instead, colleges are looking to get to know who students are outside of the classroom. I work with students to be sure that they are able to share personal interests and passions in their applications and essays so that schools can get a better snapshot of the big picture. Our teachers and coaches do a great job sharing personal stories in their letters of recommendations to give colleges an idea of what our students will bring and contribute to their communities.
Is there a message that you'd like to send to the CVA graduating class of 2022?
My message to the Class of 2022 is: Don't be afraid to be yourself, and if you don't quite know who or what that is yet, that's totally okay. Be open to new experiences and be willing to grow.
We thank Jenny for all that she does at CVA to better prepare our students for their lives post-CVA. She is truly an essential part of our team.
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Students completed projects, labs, and a rigorous final exam schedule during the last two weeks of school. In addition to daily workouts, and classes, they cleaned, and prepared to move out of their dorm rooms amid study blocks. It was a busy couple of weeks with warm temperatures, but the Big Dogs persevered!
Check out some of their final week projects, below.
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The students at CVA put their hearts, and their art, on display at the annual Art Show. Installations ranged from photography, to painting and drawing, to sculpture, and more.
This was the biggest, and best, art show to date, covering one first floor wing in the Webber Academic Center. We have some truly talented students at CVA, and their work spoke for itself.
A big thank you goes out to teacher, Waylon Wolfe, for transforming the academic center into a full gallery display, in just a few hours!
Missed the event? You can check out the students' artwork in their virtual art gallery, via the link below.
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The senior Contemporary History class at CVA simulated the election process and how political parties drive the election process as their final project.
The class was divided into groups, and they created 3 different political parties. They created party platforms (with 6 issues that they want to see improvement upon), nominated candidates, and campaigned over 2 weeks for votes. This included writing inspiring campaign speeches and a concerted effort to reach voters. They also operated as the Secretary of State and registered as many people as they could.
During their final week of school, they held an “election day”, using their homemade voting booth and ballots.
This is yet another way example of how the small class size at CVA allows our teachers to customize their curriculum and focus on experiential learning. Thank you, Courtney Schad, for this awesome experience for the students.
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Last Friday, over 200 students, family members, coaches and faculty gathered at the Anti Gravity Complex to honor students from all grades and disciplines with academic and athletic awards at the Big Dog Awards Banquet. In addition to the awards, every student received a personal note card signed by CVA staff.
Congratulations to each and every Big Dog for your many accomplishments this year!
If you weren't able to attend, or forgot to take pictures, don't worry! Pictures from the Awards Banquet are available at the link below.
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National Honor Society (NHS) Inductions |
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Congratulations to the 2022 National Honors Society inductees -Charlie Koenig '24, Ruby Poland '23, Caleb Stefanakos '24, and Maggie Swain '24.
Advisor, Ainsley McClachrie, and Head of School, Kate Punderson, hosted the new members, their families, and the CVA community at the NHS Induction Ceremony held in the Atrium of the Academic Center on May 19th.
Congratulations, everyone, on this tremendous accomplishment. You’ve worked hard, and you deserve it!
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A number of CVA athletes, across all disciplines, attended Nationals this year. In the last edition, we shared which athletes were off to which events. Here's an update on how those athletes placed.
Alpine
- U14 Can-Ams: Lucia Littlefield ’26, Abigail Manson '26, and Rocco Lazzaro ’26
- Top-10 Finishes by Event - 2
- Podium Placements - 1
- U16 Nationals: Charlie Koenig '24, Kaden Theirault '24, Will Roy '24
- Top-10 Finishes by Event - 3
- U18 Nationals: Josie Alexander '23, Althea Noyes '23
- US Nationals: Josie Alexander '23, Abby Byers '22, Althea Noyes '23
Freestyle Moguls:
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US National Mogul Junior Championships: Gabe Landry '26, Chase Littlefield '24, Tate Royall '25, Nattee McKenzie '24, Dory Michaud '23, Lance Dolan '22, Jack Egan '25, and Kennedy Hicks '25
- US National Mogul Championships: Jack Egan '25, Chase Littlefield '24, Dory Michaud '23
Freestyle Freeski:
- USASA Nationals: Alex Bateman '26, Sully Butler '24, Shire Cosby '25, Carver Emory '27, Finn Emory '25, Zack Forrest-Woodman '24, Eli Fournier '22, Reggie Hicks '27, Drew Hooker '22, Kiernan Mann '23, Grant Schad '27
- Top 10 Finishes - 2
Snowboard:
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USASA Nationals Alpine: Luca Graham '22, Sasha Jansujwicz '23, Baran Tatlidede '23, Paarth Tyagi '24, Walker Wolfe '26, Zack Zaman '22
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USASA Nationals Park: Dena Abreu '22, Zack Bussiere '26 , Kyla Harvie '25, Brady Harvie '24, Sullivan Platte ‘25, Noah Tippie '26
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USASA Nationals Snowboard Cross: Boden Gerry '24, Kyla Harvie '25, Brady Harvie '24, Mitch Marquis '24, Noah Tippie '26, Paarth Tyagi '24, Jack Velenchik '24, Walker Wolfe '26, Zack Zaman '22
- Top 10 Finishes - 9
- Podium Placements - 5
Ski Cross:
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USASA Nationals: Aidan Butler '26, Jamie Hering '26, Morgan Shute '25, Lilian Sittig '25, Maggie Swain '24, Lily Day '23, Lyle Hering '23, Tyler Currier '22, and Aidan Steffe '21
- Top-10 Finishes - 9 (all athletes!)
- Podium Placements - 7
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Springing into Spring Sports |
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In addition to multiple dryland training sessions per week, CVA’s student-athletes who attend Spring Term participated twice a week in an additional sport of their choosing. It’s a chance for High School athletes to try something new or dive deeper into an activity they enjoy.
The CVA Spring Sport options this year included:
- Fly Fishing: The group traveled to different locations around Flagstaff Lake, Stratton, and Eustis, among other locations.
- Tennis: The group played at Riverside Park, part of the Carrabassett Valley Town Park.
- Golf: The group played at nearby courses including Moose Meadows, Diadema, and Sugarloaf.
- Disc Golf: The group played around the CVA campus, where we have our own nets that are set at varying degrees of difficulty.
- Trampolining & Skateboarding: The group used the state-of-the art training facilities at the Anti Gravity Complex.
- Mountain Biking: The group explored the world-class bike trails around Carrabassett Valley, including the Outdoor Center, and nearby trails in Bethel, Maine.
CVA Middle School athletes enjoyed a variety of activities together during their spring sport blocks. The focus was on having fun, developing life skills such as sportsmanship, showing respect, and being prepared, learning new skills, and building a strong athletic foundation. We had 22 athletes this spring, which gave us a proper number for field games which increased the fun factor!
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An "Event-ful" Month at CVA |
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Over the months of May into June, the CVA campus was bustling with activity and events. Some of these events included: |
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May 7th - Senior Trip to the Portland Sea Dogs |
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The senior class went on their class trip to watch The Portland Sea Dogs, a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine play the Fightin' Phils. The weekend was "Student Celebration Week" at the Sea Dogs stadium, and our students had a wonderful time celebrating their senior year together. A Big Dog thank you goes out to the Parent Support Organization for sponsoring the senior trip and gifting the amazing box seats. |
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May 21st - High School Prom |
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Prom was hosted by the Student Council on May 21st. Students from grades 9-12 started with group photos at the Webber Academic Center, then travelled to the Outdoor Center for couple and group scenic photos, then went to The Rack for dinner and dancing.
Thanks to Beth Hamblet and the Student Council for organizing and decorating, Waylon Wolfe for the photos, Sarah and Jeff Strunk for donating The Rack as the event venue, and to the other staff members who helped make it a special and memorable event.
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May 30 - June 2 - Senior Trip |
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Polaroid photo courtesy of Hoku Caroselli '22 |
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At the end of each year, the Senior class organizes a four-day trip during finals week. This year, the trip ran from Monday, May 30th to Thursday, June 2nd. The location for the trip, activities, and faculty invited on the trip are all chosen by the Senior class and approved by the CVA administration. This year, with a large graduating class, the class rented a house on the New Hampshire coast for the 18 seniors and 2 CVA chaperones. Being located just two miles from the beach, and having an indoor pool at their rental house, the Seniors had a lot of fun right at their fingertips! In addition to spending some time at the beach, the class also took a day trip into Boston, visiting Faneuil Hall, riding the "T", and exploring all that the city has to offer. |
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Not pictured: Kyla Harvie and Ruby Poland |
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At CVA, Students entering grades 10-12 can apply each spring to become a peer mentor. The role of a peer mentor is to guide and support other students at CVA, helping to create a safe, supportive, and productive environment for all students. Peer Mentors become Mental Health First Aid and Suicide prevention certified and serve as the link between students and staff to address students of concern and promote a positive culture.
All applicants undergo a rigorous application process and retain their positions once elected. This year, we are proud to announce that Luna de la Vega '25, Kyla Harvie '25, Francois Meloni '23, Dory Michaud '23, and Emily Peck '25 have been elected as peer mentors. They will join returning peer mentors Sasha Jansujwicz '23, Ruby Poland '23, Dahlia Saifee '23, Summer Saifee '23 and Nya Wolfe '23 to round out the 2022-2023 Peer Mentors at CVA. Thank you, everyone, for all that you do for the CVA community and for exemplifying our pillar of responsible community living.
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Student Council Officer Elections |
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Congratulations to the newly elected officers for the 2022-2023 CVA Student Council.
President - Josie Alexander '23
Vice President - Summer Saifee '23
Representatives - Sasha Jansujwicz '23, Jackson Knoblock '23, Dory Michaud '23, and Dahlia Saifee '23
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CVA's commitment to the community was evident during Marathon weekend at Sugarloaf Mountain. The CVA community volunteered their time on both Saturday and Sunday in support of the Sugarloaf Marathon, an official qualifier for the Boston Marathon.
In preparation for the marathon, on Saturday morning, CVA students and staff participated in the annual Carrabassett Valley Town Clean-Up Day where they cleaned 1 mile of road from Bigelow Station to the Sanitation District road and around the Capricorn Building at CVA, the TDS building, the AGC, and at Mountainside Grocers. On Sunday, the CVA community staffed water stations along the marathon route, offering cups of water to runners as they passed.
Thank you to everyone for helping out.
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High School Student of the Month |
Emily is a strong student. She submits all of her work in a timely manner, and her grades have all been in the 90s all trimester. She has a strong work-ethic, in and out of class, which allows her to perform consistently well on both assessments and projects. Congratulations, Emily, on your hard-work and commitment to academics! |
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Middle School Athlete of the Month |
Nick has a commitment to excellence when it comes to athletics. He is always responsive, on time, and prepared. He is great at goal setting - both with clearly communicating his goals and striving to achieve them. His maturity, confidence, and inner strength propel him forward in his sport. Congratulations, Nick. Thank you for setting the bar high and having the self-belief to reach it! |
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High School Athlete of the Month |
Morgan has built momentum in her sport throughout the year. Her strong work ethic, determination, persistence, and grit have allowed her to quickly progress in her skills, resulting in multiple podium finishes and a Silver medal at USASA Nationals for her age group. Thank you, Morgan, for your hard work this year. Your effort has not gone unnoticed. |
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Community Member of the Month |
Francois is always there to lend-a-hand. He is helpful with the duty team and with dish duty. His warm and welcoming personality and positive attitude draws others towards him. He is a member of the National Honor Society and was recently elected to be a Peer Mentor. Thank you, Francois for being an all-around great community member; we are so lucky to have you at CVA. |
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Building a Safe and Equitable Environment at CVA |
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At CVA, we understand that the world around us is changing, and our community needs to change with it. Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and connected. That is why CVA is committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in our community.
CVA alum, Dylan Hale Thornton ’98, owner of held separate workshops with our staff, faculty, and students about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in winter sport as it pertains to ski/snowboard academy programming.
The CVA community discussed:
- Expanding understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in outdoor sports
- Gaining comfort engaging the issues
- Increasing ability to navigate complex social situations
- Exploring tools to help maintain a supportive & welcoming program environment
- Inspiring & directing future action to promote equitable platforms
Everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the outdoors and thrive in winter sports. Thank you, Dylan, for helping us to continue DEI work in the CVA community.
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Weekend Program Alumnus Breaks World Record |
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On April 18th, after 56 runs and nearly 100,000 vertical feet, CVA Weekend Program alumnus and U.S. Snowboarding Racing Team member, Myles Silverman, broke the Guinness World Record for "Most Vertical Feet Snowboarded in 12 hours". He attempted, and achieved, his World Record Attempt right here at Sugarloaf Mountain!
Congratulations, Myles, on such an amazing accomplishment!
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Alumna Promoted to Alpine Program Director |
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CVA alumna, and long-time Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club coach, Kristin Waddle '08 has been promoted to become their new Alpine Program Director.
Kristin is Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club's first female Alpine Director and one of very few female Alpine Directors in the Nation.
Congratulations, Kristin, on your amazing promotion, and for paving the way for female athletes in directorial positions in the industry.
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BARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR JUNE 24TH |
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CVA'S ANNUAL BIG DoG (DAY OF GIVING) |
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June 24th, 2022 is National Bring Your Dog To Work Day, and at CVA, we value our Big Dogs!
This year, we're celebrating 40 years of Big Dog pride by featuring the Big Dogs of the CVA community on our social media feeds along with why the Annual Fund is so important.
June 24th will be our Annual DoG (Day of Giving) at CVA! We ask that you show your Big Dog pride by donating to the Annual Fund before June 30th.
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We are asking two things of the CVA Community:
- If you haven't yet made your annual donation, please donate now to the Annual Fund using the links below.
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Send us a picture of you and your Big Dog, to mfogg@gocva.com, showing off his/her Big Dog pride, along with your dog's name and a reason that you donate to the annual Fund. "I donate to the Annual Fund because..."
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This year, our goal is to raise $150,000 for the Annual Fund. Your donation will help us reach our goal!
You don’t have to wait until the Big DoG on June 24th. You can make your gift today! Every gift, regardless of size, is a sign of your support, and brings our community closer to our goal.
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If you have already made your annual donation to CVA, we thank you for your generosity.
Haven't yet donated? Please consider donating by one of the 5 ways below:
- Online at gocva.com/give
- Venmo: @CarrabassettValleyAcademy
- Paypal: paypal.me/gocva
- Mail a check payable to: CVA Annual Fund, 3197 Carrabassett Drive, Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947
- Contact Melissa Fogg at mfogg@gocva.com, or 207-237-4505, for more information or to make a donation by phone.
Thank you for your support!
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Want to sport some CVA apparel for the summer or the upcoming school year? The CVA Apparel Store through SYNC is open, with new designs for the 2022-2023 school year.
Enter Passcode "cva22" after following the link below to shop custom gear now!
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ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL |
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There are still a few spaces available for middle school student-athletes looking push their personal limits and achieve their full potential at CVA.
We are currently accepting applications for full-year or winter term options across all disciplines.
Interested in becoming a Big Dog? Start the conversation today by filling out an inquiry.
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Become a part of the Big Dog team. |
Carrabassett Valley Academy (CVA) has open positions available in the following fields: |
Teaching:
Coaching:
- Alpine
- Backcountry
- Snowboarding
- Freestyle
- Strength & Conditioning
Staff:
- Admissions/Enrollment
- Maintenance/Custodial
Opportunities range from full-time year-round to part-time seasonal employment. Full job descriptions will be posted on our website, as they become available. For more information, contact Kate Punderson by email at kpunderson@gocva.com or by phone at 207-237-4470.
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3197 Carrabassett Drive
Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947
Phone: (207) 237-2250
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