Help spread the joy Peter embodied while in the mountains.
Your contribution will go towards four ski or snowboard lessons at Ski Santa Fe for 20-30 Monte del Sol Charter School students.
The benefits of the ski and outdoor education program for our students are numerous: connection to nature, team building, resilience, physical activity, knowledge of the wider community, self-confidence, and opportunities for fun and adventure.
Connection to the school community and participation in meaningful activities can translate to higher academic achievement and graduation rates. We strive to support our student’s growth, and this program grants the opportunity to students who might not otherwise have the chance to learn to ski or snowboard.
Criteria to participate: students must be in good academic standing and have minimal discipline referrals. If students do not meet the above criteria, they can submit an individualized academic improvement plan. The plan consists of identifying the area(s) for improvement, providing a timeline to reach goals, describing how to demonstrate success, and identifying who will oversee the plan.
Giving Back: Peter Lazar believed in and practiced care for place and community. To promote his spirit, students will offer a minimum of one hour of their time and energy to the betterment of our campus. Examples: pick up trash after lunch, help shovel snow, volunteer to tutor younger students, promote energy savings strategies, or work in the garden or greenhouse.
Peter Davis Lazar died in an avalanche on February 26, 2019, in Montana. He learned to ski at Ski Santa Fe. Peter was an aspiring birder, worked on small fishing boats in Alaska, supported activists during Standing Rock, and had just been accepted to all seven physical therapy schools he applied to. Pete was family to Zoë Nelsen, the school sponsor for this program.
Zoë launched the ski and outdoor education program at Monte del Sol during the fall of 2018 as part of a project-based curriculum in a physical education course she taught. Throughout Zoë's life, outdoor and adventure activities have allowed her to develop confidence, face fears, learn presence, enhance technical skills, connect with diverse people and environments, and care for the earth. She strongly believes in the teaching power of place and hopes to provide opportunities for more young people to explore their paths in the wilderness.
The cost of the ski program per student is $300, with a yearly cap of 30 students. Our intent in establishing a scholarship fund is so all students have the opportunity to participate while at MDS if they want to. Your contribution is tax-deductible and will go towards Pete Lazar’s Outdoor Education Fund for the 2023-24 season and beyond. In the future, we intend to incorporate other activities (e.g., rafting, climbing, mountain biking).
Your support means a lot to the families of the Monte del Sol Community. Donations can be made to the:
Monte del Sol Foundation (501c3)
4157 Walking Rain Road, Santa Fe, NM 87507
guidestar.org/profile/85-0456767