Six years ago during holiday break, my son started learning to ski. In the photo at top he is being helped by a Chester Bowl ski cadet.
In the image at bottom, he now wears the green jacket. On Saturday, Sam began his official duties as a ski cadet, helping others learn how to ski at Chester Bowl's week-long ski camp.
I'm incredibly proud that he has chosen to be a ski cadet. As such he needs to log 50+ hours on the hill. Already, he teaches non-skiers how to side-step up the cordoned-off bunny hill, catches them at the bottom, and helps them get back up if they fall. He accompanies beginner and intermediate skiers on the chair lift then skis down the hill with them, slowly following or leading, if necessary, or skiing alongside at their speed. Later on in lessons, he and other cadets will guide lines of new skiers in snake formations down the hill.
Outside of ski camp and Thursday night ski lessons, he will help other skiers on the slope -- retrieving runaway skis or dropped ski poles, assisting someone who's taken a tumble, going for aid if someone is hurt.
There are some perks. On days he's on duty, he receives free meals at the hill. And he gets to ski for a lot longer time than in previous years. But the best perks are mine and Tom's. We get to watch our son take on more responsibilities and make a contribution of his own to the world.
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