One score, minus seven years ago, Colorado Ski Country USA launched the 5th Grade Passport Program to provide the means to introduce all 5th graders to skiing and snowboarding in Colorado. All you had to do to qualify was be in 5th grade. Simple as that, just make it though the 4th grade, and you were eligible for a full season of skiing on the 5th Grade Passport. Today, CSCUSA has helped introduce more than 200,000 families to Colorado skiing with the popular program, and we are offering it again this year.
Now bear with me here as arithmetic is not my strong suit, (which is why I ended up in communications) but any 5th grader can do the math and see the value in the 5th Grade Passport. It is three days of skiing at each of 21 member resorts, which brings us to a total of 63 days on snow for free. I would bet that anyone can learn to ski in 63 days. If not, then just get through the 5th grade and when you’ve graduated, you are eligible for the 6th Grade Passport.
Story problem (remember these?): If the 6th Grade Passport offers four days of skiing at each of 21 resorts and only costs $99, how much would it cost to ski each day that the pass allows? Those of you that answered $1.20 are correct and do not have to stay for detention.
A full day of skiing for $1.20, if you’re not seeing the value here, let’s put it in another context. For $1.20, you can buy one song on iTunes, 20 minutes of a 90 minute movie or two first class USPS stamps (but who writes letters anymore?).
The goals of the Passports are to make skiing and snowboarding accessible, to introduce young people to the benefits and fun that skiing and riding in Colorado offer, to encourage outdoor winter activity and to help introduce the various recreational uses of our National Forest Service land. Skiing and snowboarding do all of this plus offer a great way to spend time with family and friends.
And unlike some school programs, participants don’t have to pass a test or complete an exam or wear a uniform in order to participate. This season’s Passport programs can be fully processed online at www.ColoradoSki.com/Passport. CSCUSA is pleased to partner with Credit Union of Colorado as a program sponsor for the 2009-10 5th and 6th Grade Passports.
Resorts participating in the Passports for 2009-10 include: Arapahoe Basin, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Purgatory (Durango), Echo Mountain, Eldora, Howelsen Hill, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn, Ski Cooper, Snowmass, SolVista, Steamboat, Sunlight, Telluride, Winter Park and Wolf Creek.
For more details please visit www.ColoradoSki.com/Passport or call 303-866-9707.
