It is not often that high schoolers swap their binders, phones, backpacks and planners for snow boots, mittens and warm winter coats. But for students of Middleton High School’s (MHS) Outdoor Pursuits class, winter gear becomes a regular haul from home to classroom. 

To MHS physical education teachers’ delight, a recent November snowstorm blanketed the MHS grounds in a three inch layer of pristine white.  Taking full advantage of the weather, apprehensive students strapped on snow boots, snowshoes and cross-country ski boots as they embarked on an adventure into the snow. 

Many students struggled with the unfamiliar gait of the large plastic and metal soles of their snowshoes. Even so, they awkwardly bumbled through snowy fields with their teachers’ encouragement.

But lesson plans of hiking and trudging through the snow quickly dissolved as soon as the students discovered that it was perfectly packable. Almost immediately, snowballs were launched through the air, splattering on friends, classmates and teachers alike. 

Snowshoes forgotten, many students took to rolling their snowballs into the bodies and heads of snowpeople, whose festive shapes began to populate the frozen practice field. Excitement and laughter reminiscent of young children rang through the snow-filled air. 

The wintry wonderland truly appeared when two groups of snowman-crafters decided to join forces, combining their huge snow-spheres into one massive creation. Its base alone was five feet across, and lifting the expansive middle section seemed — and was quickly proven to be — impossible. Nevertheless, the students did what high schoolers rarely find themselves choosing to do: they joined forces, got creative and found a working solution. After carefully reassembling the middle section and adding a head that required jumping to reach, the massive snowman was complete. 

“It was the fattest snow man I’ve ever seen,” said one student.  

Affectionately dubbed “Frosty,” the snowman towered ten feet over the class and was visible from various classrooms in the MHS building. 

MHS’s Outdoor Pursuits program proves that when high school students are given opportunities for snow, time and teamwork, wonderful creations soon follow.