"I feel like OMS prepared me for being out of my comfort zone and finding ways to adapt to new situations. It gave me a great drive and focus in all areas of my life. Ski racing itself is a great way of learning the skill of grit. There is a lot of ‘failure’ in ski racing and learning to deal with that helps you to have resilience and perseverance. There is also a lot of time-management developed through the sport and the school. To be successful you have to be able to balance your academic and athletic schedule while being held accountable to high standards in both fields. There was not a way to ‘slip through the cracks’ in a small school like OMS and therefore, you had to be very focused in order to remain on top of things. All of these skills are integral to being a successful student, teacher, mother, and person in general. I am constantly relying on them and utilizing them in my everyday life."

-- COURTNEY RUGGIERO, CLASS OF 2001

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