Reaching Out with Hamtramck

On a snowy weekend in March, 22 students from metro-Detroit arrived at Crystal Mountain.

“Hamtramck is a unique community whose wealth lies in its diversity of cultures. Many of the students participating in the SOS Learn to Ride program are recent or first-generation immigrants from Yemen, Bangladesh and Poland,” Hamtramck English Teacher Jessica Madden said. “These students have not had the chance to venture much further than the metro-Detroit area to experience the beauty of the Great Lakes that is now their home.”

SOS Outreach is a progressive mentor-driven organization focused on teaching kids the life skills they need to live happy, healthy and successful lives despite social, societal or economic barriers.

One way they do this is by taking kids to the slopes.

“We have lots of big, wide-open spaces at Crystal Mountain,” Crystal Community Ski Club Alpine Coordinator Hunter Steinkamp said. “Being able to work with kids who otherwise may not have had the opportunity to try snow sports – and connecting them with other skiers and riders their age – is a phenomenal opportunity.”

The weekend with the Hamtramck and CCSC kids kicked off with s’mores around a campfire, a snowsports lesson and lunch on Saturday, an overnight at Crystal Mountain, and a snowshoe tour through Michigan Legacy Art Park on Sunday. They also spent time getting to know CCSC students and learning about mountain safety.

One highlight? On Saturday night, the Hamtramck kids prepared their ethnic food for dinner and dined with CCSC instructors and staff. "It was an absolute highlight of the weekend," said ski instructor Allen Parkes.