Last week 31 students from Worthing College spent a week on the ski slopes, staying in Flachau, a village in the district of St. Johann in Pongau in the Austrian state of Salzburg. Its numerous skiing facilities are part of the Ski Amadé network of ski areas, one of the largest in Europe.
The trip, led by Worthing College Sports Teacher Chris Turner, saw 43 students in total, benefit from this fantastic opportunity with six whole days of excellent ski tuition in near perfect snow conditions. Chris collaborated with East Sussex College to bring this fantastic opportunity to a wider group of students.
Chris organised the trip through Snowstyle, a family run travel business, saying “I’ve worked with them on six previous occasions and they always deliver a superb service for all concerned, from the planning of the travel, to the accommodation and of course the calibre of the ski instruction. It really feels like they care and understand the responsibility that goes with taking a big group of young people on this type of action packed trip.”
Chris believes passionately that this type of experience is about expanding student’s horizons outside of the classroom. He says; “trips like this help to develop life skills, it teaches a young person about taking responsibility for themselves and others, particularly from a health and safety perspective, how to work as a team and how important communication is in everyday life especially when dealing with a range of people, many of whom they hadn’t met before.”
The weather could not have been better and every single student who went, whether a beginner or an intermediate on the slopes said they improved immensely over the week and the whole experience far exceeded their expectations. Harry James summed up the students feelings when he said; “this was a life changing experience, this has transformed my college experience and I have made so many amazing new friends. I can’t thank Chris enough for making this happen.”
Principal, Paul Riley, said; “this type of enrichment opportunity for students relies on a teacher like Chris Turner who is dedicated to adding value to a student’s college experience. It’s not just in the planning and marketing of the trip but in giving up his own time, taking on the responsibility that goes with taking 43 students overseas. I want to personally thank Chris and Tina Price, our Sports Academy Manager for leading this overwhelmingly successful and memorable trip for our students”
