To further our mission to increase inclusivity in the Snowsports Industry, NBS in partnership with Women of Winter (WoW) and the Professional Ski Association of America - American Association of Snowsports Instructors (PSIA-AASI), are offering twelve (12) scholarships for the 2023-2024 season, to our membership to obtain a PSIA-AASI Alpine or Snowboard Level I instructor certification. This new partnership allows for all three organizations the opportunity to continue to expose, educate, support and advance black indigenous, women of color (BIWOC) in the Snowsports Industry.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Big Sky Resort will be our host for this event. The schedule (detailed below) for the scholarship program is designed to coincide with the NBS Summit taking place also at Big Sky Resort from February 24 – March 2, 2024.

There will be two Instructor Level I certification events - Alpine (2 groups) and Snowboard (2 groups). There will be a maximum of 6 participants for each event, for a total of 24 individuals, of which 12 slots are reserved specifically for NBS BIWOC members!

SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS

All Level I Alpine and Snowboard scholarship recipients will receive the following:

• All tuition costs associated with the Level I preparatory course and exam:
  • ○Level I event preparation fee
  • ○Level I certification exam fee
• One full season of PSIA-AASI membership dues during the 2023-2024 season (only applicable if you are not a current PSIA-AASI member, dues covered are December 2023 through June 2024)
• Lift tickets for all days of the Level I preparatory course and exam
• For NBS Members only, free registration to the 2024 NBS Summit to be held at Big Sky Resort
• Ski or snowboard gear from PSIA-AASI Official Suppliers:
  

○Hard Goods:

❄ Rossignol: skis / bindings -OR- snowboard / bindings

❄ Giro: helmet and goggles

❄ Leki: ski poles

○Soft Goods

❄ Hestra: Gloves/Mittens

❄ Phunkshun: facemasks / balaclavas

❄ The North Face: swag

❄ Terramar: base layers

Please note: The scholarship does NOT cover lodging, meals or transportation to and from the event. However, there may be sponsored receptions / meals and / or discounted lodging.

PROGRAM DATES

PSIA-AASI x Women of Winter & National Brotherhood of Snowsports Member Scholarship Program:

(You must be a financial member of NBS to apply)*

Location:                     Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, MT

Alpine Level I:             4 days, February 22 – 25, 2024 OR

Snowboard Level I:     4 days, February 22 – 25, 2024

THE SCHEDULE

Alpine & Snowboard Level I (Both WoW & NBS Scholarship Recipients):

February 21, 2024 – Arrival (you must arrive no later than 2/21 February 22, 2024 – First Instruction Day, Welcome Reception February 23, 2024 – Second Instruction Day

February 24, 2024 – First Assessment Day

February 25, 2024 – Final Assessment Day & Award Ceremony

There will be two mandatory Women of Winter virtual orientations scheduled prior to the beginning of the program.

During the two and four-day program, WoW and PSIA-AASI instructors and assessors will work closely with scholarship recipients to ensure their success. However, it is not guaranteed that all recipients will pass the assessment and become certified PSIA-AASI members.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Who should Apply:

When applying for a scholarship, please select the Wow x NBS Scholarship. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Identify as a Black, Indigenous, Woman of Color or non-binary/gender non-conforming

   individual comfortable in women-centered spaces.

2. Have an interest in working as a ski or snowboard instructor.
3. Demonstrate leadership qualities in PSIA-AASI and/or another industry.
4. Can ski or snowboard comfortably down easy intermediate terrain areas at a ski resort. For example, if you ski, you can make turns with your skis parallel to each other rather than moving down the hill with your skis in a wedge shape (aka snowplow). If you snowboard, you can link your turns, which means you can confidently move from your heel side to your toe side when you move down the hill and make turns on your snowboard.

   Alpine Demonstration Snowboard Demonstration

5. For the NBS Scholarship Program, you must be a Financial Member of an NBS Club. If you are not a current financial member of a club, click the link here to identify and contact a club near you to become a member.

Application Materials – Mission support:

Applicants for the Alpine Level I and Snowboard Level I will be asked to answer the following questions on the Application Form.

• How will achieving a PSIA-AASI Level I certification support your pursuit and passion for Snowsports and for educating others about Snowsports?
• Women of Winter and PSIA-AASI believe that gender and racial equity in Snowsports are incredibly important. Please share why it’s important to you?
• Share how you plan to inspire and empower other BIPOC women and individuals in your community to get outside and be a part of the movement for diversifying the outdoors, either through participating in DEI initiatives in your community and/or being a leader in the Snowsports industry.
• Anything else the Review Committee should know about you? Please know you’re welcome to share your LinkedIn profile or Instagram username or anything else that would help the Review Committee learn more about you!
• For NBS Members, you must show proof of membership (i.e., membership card or letter from club president)