As the new school year approaches, the Weilenmann School of Discovery is set to host its inaugural Summit Summer Send-off party on August 16 at Woodward Park City, creating an opportunity for families to come together for a day filled with festivities.
Susannah Barnes, the director of development at Weilenmann, expressed excitement about the event’s purpose, stating, “We thought it would be great to have an all-encompassing community event where Weilenmann would invite the whole community, the whole county, wherever they’re from, even visitors from out of town, to come together and celebrate the end of summer.”
The event aims to embody the encouraging and mentorship-driven atmosphere that Woodward fosters year-round for Weilenmann students.
According to Barnes, “Woodward has become like this incredible mentorship hub for these kids, and it extends the mission and the vision of Weilenmann. They embrace their surroundings, try everything, balance to your heart’s content, and make mistakes, and all of these things are much longer roads than we realize.”
The Summit Summer Send-off party is designed to extend that mentorship and encouragement to all guests and students in attendance.
Highlighting the event will be local Olympians who will share their personal stories of setbacks and comebacks, emphasizing themes of growth, resilience, and learning from failure.
Barnes noted, “So many kids in Summit County are athletes. They understand challenge. It’ll be fun to hear from Olympians to understand what resilience is and what balance is, and learning from your mistakes, and that these all apply to the love of learning.”
Although former Weilenmann student and Olympic mountain biking medalist Haley Battan will not be present, she has recorded an interview with Barnes to share her key insights from her athletic experiences.
Battan’s messages revolve around essential themes of adapting, recovering, and pushing forward in the face of adversity.
Barnes remarked, “It’s about doing the hard things, as Olympians have done, and how that resilience really does relate to middle school, which can be an oddly rockier time for many kids.”
The day will feature a variety of activities, including trampolines, mega ramps, and live music, alongside Olympic guest speakers, reinforcing the educational goals of Weilenmann.
The school emphasizes a holistic approach to education, merging academic initiatives with outdoor activities, art, and crucial social-emotional learning areas, such as self-awareness and emotional management.
Barnes emphasized that the school seeks to support each student on their unique journey, focusing on growth in both academic and personal contexts.
“Woodward is where these kids go, and they have to learn to communicate with each other, walk to school on their own together. This is where they want to come and hang out, and this is the safe place,” Barnes shared. “And that is what we want for them.”
Tickets for the Summit Summer Send-off are priced at $25, which includes food, drinks, and access to Woodward’s Indoor Action Sports Hub. All-Access Members of Woodward can attend the event free of charge.
Alongside the inspiring speakers, the event will feature live music from Jake and The Heist, as well as a dinner buffet.
Local businesses are invited to contribute to the event’s silent auction or participate in the Summit Passport, a booklet provided to each guest highlighting local offerings and businesses to explore in the area.
image source from：parkrecord
