A total of 1,838 students in the 3rd and 4th grades of primary school from 46 public and charter schools in Catalonia will practice snow sports this winter at the six ski and mountain resorts of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC): La Molina, Vall de Núria, Vallter, Espot Esquí, Port Ainé and Boí Taüll. They are doing this as part of the 12th edition of the Esport Blanc Escolar (EBE) program, promoted by the Departments of Sports and Education and Vocational Training, in collaboration with the Sports Councils of the regions of the Pyrenees, the Catalan Federation of Winter Sports and the Catalan ski resorts, with the aim of promoting and popularizing snow sports among students in the regions of the Catalan Pyrenees and offering the opportunity to learn and experience snow sports in their own environment.
Until March, La Molina will host 1,068 students from 27 schools in Berguedà and Cerdanya. In El Ripollès, 391 students will benefit from this program at the Vallter and Vall de Núria resorts. In the case of Vallter, the resort will host 3 schools and a total of 113 students who will participate in 26 ski and snowboard sessions. As for Vall de Núria, 278 students from 7 schools will visit the resort, which translates into 42 ski and snowboard sessions this winter season.
In El Pallars, throughout the winter season, 308 students from 7 schools (4 from El Pallars Jussà and 3 from El Pallars Sobirà) will visit the Espot Esquí and Port Ainé resorts to practice skiing and snowboarding. And in Alta Ribagorça, Boí Taüll, the resort with the highest elevations in the Pyrenees, will host 71 students from 2 schools in the region, where they will practice alpine skiing and snowboarding.
Commitment to Esport 360
With this program, the Government reinforces its commitment to Esport 360, which aims to bring the benefits of practicing sports and physical activity to all age groups of the population, in areas such as education or health, and in the different spaces and environments suitable for practicing sports, such as, in this case, the different ski resorts.
Framed in the Strategic Plan for Winter Sports of Catalonia, the Esport Blanc Escolar program aims to promote the initiation and knowledge of winter sports among children in the 3rd and 4th grades of primary school, paying special attention to the Pyrenean regions. The other purpose is to educate through sport to respect, enjoy, coexist, love and know our mountains with the complicity of the teaching staff of educational centers and sports technicians.
In total, the EBE offers between six and eight practical sessions during the second term of the school year, introducing students to cross-country skiing, alpine skiing and snowboarding. These sessions, held during school hours, promote the learning of these sports and foster values such as respect for the mountains and teamwork. In addition, in March, the "Snow Graduation" is held, a festive day where 4th grade students who have participated in the program meet to enjoy fun and competitive activities.
The success of the Esport Blanc Escolar program has been materialized in several Snowkidz Awards, awarded by the International Ski Federation (FIS). These awards, which are given every two years, recognize the quality and impact of initiatives that promote winter sports among the youngest.
Photo credit: @esportshivern
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