Page 119 - Flathead Living // Spring 2015

fast, unmistakable presentation.
This gap-year academy is his brainchild.
Nearly two years ago, the longtime Colorado resident
began developing a center for student athletes seeking an offbeat education meshing together adventure sports, aca- demics and life skills.
Gap-year institutions — offering a reprieve to young adults transitioning from high school to college — are not uncommon in Europe. But in the U.S. it remains a novel idea. At least for now.
O’Donnell, a former international ski athlete who holds master’s degrees in business administration and global stud- ies from the University of Denver, was focused on 17- to 20-year-olds who may not be ready to jump straight into college after high school, or are seeking a detour from the conventional education path, and wanted to offer them an exciting session of self-exploration and outdoor discovery.
“There’s this in-between age where a lot of people don’t know what they want to do yet,” he said.
Rooted in his passion for adventure, the RIDGE Mountain Academy was born.
The new institution embarked on its inaugural winter semester in early January with six student-athletes from across the country, including Texas, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Illinois.
“We have been working toward the launch of our first semester for the past year and a half and our team is ready to bring new momentum into young people’s lives,” O’Donnell said.
When planning the academy, he stumbled upon Whitefish, and relatively quickly deemed it a perfect loca- tion because of its proximity to the pristine outdoors and a top-notch ski resort. He also recognized a culture that reflected the active-lifestyle teachings that the academy would focus on.
BELOW RIDGE Mountain Academy student-athletes gear up for a day of training at Whitefish Mountain Resort.
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