The Winter Sports School’s 2025 graduating class featured 28 close-knit students this year.
The publicly funded school follows an alternative schedule: classes run from April to November so student-athletes can focus on their chosen sport during the winter season.
During graduation speeches, Student Council President Zeke Sherman shared what he had learned from each of his classmates, while Sam Eden shared inside jokes and funny memories — including a reference to the 2025 senior prank, which involved a fake wedding with “bridesmen and groomsmaids.”
The theme of Student Council Vice President Ashley Sell’s speech was perspective.
“Perspective can turn a step back into a lesson, a disagreement into an opportunity for understanding and an ending into a beginning,” she said.
Sell chose to attend the Winter Sports School so she could focus on competing in ski cross. She was introduced to the sport at around 10 years old, right before she moved to Park City with her family.
“A girl that I really looked up to invited me to come practice with her for a day, and she raced with me, she coached me, and it was just immediate, this is what I want to do,” Sell said.
Ski cross involves all aspects of ski racing and freeskiing, combined with the added element of racing side by side.
Sell started competing and one of her coaches told her about Winter Sports School.
“At first I thought it was the craziest thing ever invented. I was like, ‘Oh, why would these kids sacrifice their summers to go to school?’” she said. “But I became more dedicated to my sport, and I realized that this was the only path, and I don't regret it for a second.”
Sell said the school allowed her to pursue her dreams in sport.
And as she mentioned in her speech, perspective is what helped Sell when she experienced a serious knee injury in March.
“I did originally want to continue my sport after [graduation] but it was kind of a switch in my identity, and I realized that higher education was what I really needed to do,” she said.
She plans to pursue a career in corporate law.
Perseverance through her injury and dedication to academics is what earned Sell the Youth Sports Alliance’s merit-based scholarship. Executive Director Emily Fischer presented the award at graduation.
“Ashley has overcome a major injury and understands that success is built through persistence, focus and initiative,” Fischer said. “Ashley is a role model of how to have grit, work, hard and balance academics, sports, volunteering and community.”
Sell also received the Kay Wright award, which is named after the first headmaster. Teachers and staff give the award to the student who exemplifies the character and spirit of the school.
And Sell did just that by taking advantage of everything the Winter Sports School has to offer. She was the yearbook editor-in-chief, student council vice president and a teacher’s assistant. She also served as a Lindsay Vonn Foundation mentor and started her own ski tuning business.
Sell said it’s a bit of a shock that high school is over, but is proud of herself and her class, and can’t wait to see what they all do next.
