The Junior Instructional Snowsports Program (JISP) began in 1951 as an initiative to introduce local students to skiing and snowboarding. The idea was to get out of the classroom and onto the mountain to acquire a skill that would last a lifetime. Fast-forward to 2026 and JISP has evolved into a variety of learning activities supported by a wide range of sponsors for all students enrolled in a school in the Bennington-Rutland Supervisory Union.
“Downhill skiing and riding boards remain core to JISP, but not everyone is geared to flying down the slopes,” says BRSU Superintendent Randi Lowe. “A few years ago participation was trending down so we opened up the program to give more choices for students to explore new areas of interest. This creates new learning experiences for all our kids and keeps the spirit of JISP alive.”
From January through the second week of March, BRSU students spend one afternoon each week gaining expertise in an area of interest outside the classroom. In addition to the fundamentals of skiing and snowboarding, the young learners have options to explore ice skating, digital media, painting, theater, forestry, sewing, agriculture, and much more.
“Our expanded JISP programming involves all students and staff,” says Lowe. “Even as participants spread out each week across the Northshire, we are building a common community of learning that involves everyone. It’s a rewarding, shared experience.”
Proud partners of the BRSU’s JISP 2026 include: GNAT-TV, Hildene, Merck Forest & Farmland, Riley Ice Skating Rink, Southern Vermont Arts Center, Wild Wings Cross Country, VT Adaptive Ski and Sports, and the Bromley Outing Club. The BRSU operates the following local schools: Currier Memorial School, Flood Brook School, Manchester Elementary Middle School, Mettawee Community School, Sunderland Elementary School, and The Dorset School.
(Photo above: Riley Ice Rink hosts a throng of young skaters during the first week of the BRSU's JISP 2026.)
Hands-on drumming is part of music appreciation at the Southern Vermont Acts Center.
This young skier prepares to hit the slopes on the first day of JISP at Bromley Mountain.
Feeding a llama, part of a lesson in the management of livestock, is part of the JISP offerings at Hildene, The Lincoln Family Farm.
At GNAT-TV students from the BRSU are introduced to the fundamentals of digital media.
Snowboarding continues to attract new learners at JISP.
Flood Brook’s Sewing Club is part of the school’s JISP offerings.
Students go onstage at the Southern Vermont Art Center to gain experience with the basics of theater.