Finding My Edge

A WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR FINDS CHALLENGE AND REWARD ON THE SLOPES

A note from Share Winter: On the surface, youth learn to ski and ride programs across the US might seem similar. All it takes, however, is one visit to a mountain or conversation with a founder to realize that each program Share Winter Foundation supports is as different as the community it serves. We are excited to show you a behind-the-scenes look at our grantee programs and help support the voice of leaders creating a more inclusive and welcoming winter sports industry.

The Service Board (tSB) is a Seattle area, youth-led organization that builds community through the power of youth. The Service Board combines the core values of social justice, community, outdoor adventure, and service to create a courageous community of young change-makers. One such change maker is Elaine Nguyen, a high school junior who progressed from a first year youth “Prophet”, to a second year “Peer Leader”, to her current role as tSB’s “Wintern” (we love that job title)! We enjoyed her story about moving past her initial fears and finding her place on the slopes.

By Elaine Nguyen – The Service Board

More than a year after the start of the pandemic, I am back on the mountain. Seeing the newest Service Board (tSB) youth from this year’s Core Program and being surrounded by such positive energy reminds me that tSB is such a unique organization. By combining a loving, supportive community with opportunities to enjoy outdoor adventure, tSB creates an incredible experience for youth like me. If you’ve been lucky enough to have experienced the mountains, you know that it can be CHALLENGING. It’s also overall difficult for many young people to access activities like snowboarding. After three years as a youth leader at tSB, it is clear to me that outdoor adventure is such an important part of youth development, whether it be to promote overall health, to deepen our connection to our environment, or to just plain have fun! 

It might seem like a small thing to some but the work tSB does to remove barriers to snowboarding for my peers and I can result in us believing in ourselves and our future so much more. 

It might seem like a small thing to some but the work tSB does to remove barriers to snowboarding for my peers and I can result in us believing in ourselves and our future so much more. 

If I’m being completely honest, I hated snowboarding when I first started. I remember my first time on the bunny slopes and my first glimpse of a mountain resort like it was yesterday. My first lesson started out okay. Then I began to struggle on the magic carpet. After we went in for lunch, I felt so drained emotionally and physically that I didn’t want to go back out. Looking back, I think, ‘Well of course!’ It was the first time, what did I expect, right? But then it didn’t really get any better the second time we went up either. 

I wonder now if my environment outside of the mountains played a part in how I showed up on the slopes. I had absolutely no self-confidence while riding. I struggled a lot and would continuously feel discouraged when I couldn’t get a skill or when someone would tell me to, “Be more confident.” This made it more difficult to attempt turns and to change directions, but I was really good at falling, especially when I caught my edge. The chairlift was my worst nightmare. I was terrified by the fact that I could get stuck on a lift, fall off a lift, and that riding the lift meant going to a higher steeper slope. Every lesson, I always secretly hoped that I’d be in a group that didn’t go up on the lifts, and often the universe was on my side! 

I wonder now if my environment outside of the mountains played a part in how I showed up on the slopes. I had absolutely no self-confidence while riding.

I avoided the more challenging slopes until one of the last times that I went up to Snoqualmie, a pass about an hour and a half away from Seattle. I was in a smaller group and my skills weren’t exactly up to par to go on the lift, but the rest of the group decided they wanted to go up. I can’t express just how discouraged I felt at that moment, being the only one in the group to not want to do something advanced. 

Thankfully, that wasn’t how my day ended. One of our snowboard instructors (SI) offered to stay with me and help me with the basics a little more before dragging me up a lift. I felt like I was a burden to this SI, but she was super patient and had a whole one-on-one lesson with me that day. Even if she only gave me false confidence, I felt really supported and glad that she was taking the time to help me. Soon we got on the lift and let me tell you how horrified I was. I’m not really afraid of heights but that definitely got to me, and the steepness – I could feel my eyes trying to readjust. Looking back, I know it wasn’t really that steep but I was terrified! 

Once on the slope, I tried connecting my turns and it actually wasn’t too bad! When I’d inevitably fall the SI would come over to where I was and give me one tip at a time. After focusing a lot on the tips I was able to connect one turn on my first lift-assisted run. She somehow persuaded me to go on the lift again. Even though I didn’t necessarily feel I was getting any better, I had a lot more fun. About halfway down that run I psyched myself out and hit my head pretty hard. I say it’s thanks to that hit that I did so well getting down the rest of the run. For some reason being a bit disoriented allowed me to do one more really good “S” turn and come to a stop. It sounds like a silly story but now I think that the encouragement, and the hit, is what helped me continue snowboarding! 

I am only one example of a life that was changed through tSB. Prior to tSB I had never snowboarded before, nor did I think I ever would. Snowboarding felt out of reach with the distance of the mountains, the lack of gear that is incredibly expensive (especially the board itself) and the lack of skills or a teacher. Though my story in snowboarding is not reflective of all youth experiences, I definitely think that having the opportunity to push my growing edge in a supportive environment is invaluable. Some of my peers sign up for tSB specifically for the volunteer hours, or social and environmental justice knowledge, while never expecting to gain much from snowboarding. Even if getting out on the slopes isn’t your goal, it isn’t something that you get to do every day, and sometimes you just fall in love with it! 

Though my story in snowboarding is not reflective of all youth experiences, I definitely think that having the opportunity to push my growing edge in a supportive environment is invaluable.

After three years with tSB and along with the support of our wonderful SI’s who volunteer their time to instruct and connect with our youth, I can say with more confidence that the experience is SO worth that first scare on the lift or on steeper terrain. tSB SI’s give so much support to young people both on the mountain and off, and I think it’s important to highlight the incredible impact these caring, informed, adult volunteers make on each and every youth they encounter, including me. Their dedication can be the turning point from a day filled with frustration to one filled with fun, and they ensure that by the time we leave, we have the tools we need to face the mountain and the future with confidence. 

It is also pretty amazing that tSB youth this year still had a chance to hit the slopes while being safe and learning side-by-side, socially-distanced. What a wild year! Here’s hoping that tSB will continue to be able to provide experiences like these to youth like me for many years to come.

Author Bio

Elaine Nguyen (she/her) resides in south-end Seattle and is both a student at Lindbergh High School (Class of 2022) and pursuing her Associates Degree at Bellevue College. This is her third year in a row being a part of the The Service Board (tSB) community, where she currently holds the role of Development Wintern. Being in tSB has taught Elaine so much, from being okay with being vulnerable to realizing that her voice CAN make a change.

In her time with tSB, Elaine has created the tSB takeover segment on Instagram, initiated the creation of a tSB Youth Advisory Board, and built an irreplaceable love for the tSB community. tSB has changed Elaine’s life and she hopes that she will continue to be involved with tSB in the future… wherever the future takes her.