From skiing down slopes to snowball fights, this year’s Archer Family Ski Trip offered a variety of activities, Isabel Kromwyk (’29) said. The Archer Family Ski Trip was hosted by Archer Dads and took place March 7-10. Families met up in Mammoth Lakes, California., traveling either in their own car or taking the bus provided by Archer. The group stayed at the Westin Monache Resort or other lodging venues, Associate Director of Advancement Services Amy Duarte said. Archer Dads and Durate organized activities, such as bowling and group dinners, during the trip.
Duarte has been the main coordinator and organizer of the Archer Family Ski Trip for nine years. Her main goal is to ensure students and their families have a memorable experience. Though managing the logistics of such a large event can be challenging, she said, she finds the efforts rewarding, knowing the trip strengthens the Archer community.
“I think the most important thing is we want everyone to have fun,” Duarte said. “We also want them to be safe. And that’s why I work closely with the team to make sure all the logistics, like waivers and transportation, are in place.”
Director of Advancement Sarah Rooney works alongside Duarte to ensure smooth coordination of the trip. Rooney makes sure that Archer families stay informed throughout the planning process.
“We coordinate closely to make sure the buses run on time,” Rooney said.”While families now handle their own housing, we still try to find good options and provide booking codes to make things easier.”
Former Archer parent Mohammed Suleman applied his skills in managing transportation, accommodations and volunteer coordination to serve as the lead organizer for 13 previous ski trips. Over the years, Suleman he developed a thorough system to tackle any logistical challenges, such as intense weather conditions or traffic blocks. His collaboration with a dedicated team of volunteers and Archer staff, as well as his attention to detail, played a key role in making each trip a success.
“It’s not easy, it takes experience and lessons learned,” Suleman said. “Each year presents its own set of challenges, but over time we’ve changed our approach and learned how to handle the unexpected. With every trip, we gain new insights that help make the next one smoother.”
Kromwyk, now in eighth grade, started skiing at a young age and attended the Archer family ski trip in sixth grade. Her family typically drives separately from the bus Archer provides. Before the trip, students submited designs for the annual logo contest for the trip’s official merchandise. While Kromwyk did not submit any logo designs to the contest, she said her friend Harley Nichols (’29) did.
Kromwyk said her favorite part about the ski trip is skiing on the slopes with her friends.
“It’s so surreal to be in the snow, especially since it’s so different from Los Angeles,” Kromwyk said. “Skiing with my friends makes it even more fun, and there’s something special about sharing that experience with the community.”
During every ski trip, Kromwyk said there are many fun and bonding activities, even a silent disco party in the center plaza of Mammoth’s town. These moments of connection allow everyone to have a break from their day-to-day lives and come together as a community, she said. She described how facing challenges together strengthens the group of students and parents.
“I think perseverance is a big takeaway,” Kromwyk said. “There are always challenges, like bad weather or tough conditions, but we push through together.”
