Brent Maiolo launched a new class focusing on the outdoor recreation industry. The Mountain Guide School creator and science teacher wanted to support students by giving them new opportunities.

AHS now offers a course that allows students to gain real-world experience in the outdoor recreation industry. The Aspen Mountain Guide School is an option for students looking to take a gap year, go straight into the workforce, or build a resume for jobs in the outdoor recreation industry directly after highschool.

“I chose to create this class because I didn’t see many classes offering actual real-world things. School is preparing you for the real world, but as you graduate you come out with some skills but you don’t have any real certifications, and this class is for people who maybe want to take a gap year and just work right out of high school,” Maiolo said.

The Aspen Mountain Guide School grew from the extensive planning and writing efforts of science teacher Brent Maiolo, and became a reality with the support of Principal Mulberry and Vice-Principal Strassburger. This year-long, Career and Technical Education (CTE) course gives students the opportunities to earn five specific certifications, all associated with the outdoor recreation industry. Each quarter the class focuses on a new certification, and during the third quarter, there are two areas of study. These are the specific certifications: The Leave-No-Trace Ethics, Wilderness Medicine Training, Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Level One Training, The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) Avalanche One Certification, and Rock Wall Certification. Due to the partnerships with external entities, Maiolo acts more as an instructor than a teacher.

Brent Maiolo, The Mountain Guide School creator and teacher, believes in the need for launching this new course.

“I chose to create this class because I didn’t see many classes offering actual real-world things. School is preparing you for the real world, but as you graduate you come out with some skills… but you don’t have any … real certifications, and … this class is for people who maybe want to take a gap year and just work right out of high school,” Maiolo said.

This course offers not only the chance to obtain certifications but also the opportunity to gain vital life skills.

“Other skills kind of imbedded in these certifications [include] a lot of leadership, and team building, which for anybody is super helpful. For a lot of these certifications, they have to be good public speakers, comfortable talking in front of crowds, and teaching things to other people,” Maiolo said.

Will Lanter, a senior in the mountain guide school class, recommends this class to all students who are not yet sure about their futures.

“It’s a good class to have, especially if you don’t know what you’re going to do after high school, and you don’t plan on going to college,” Lanter said. “I like how it’s not taught traditionally, you learn hands-on.”

Charlie Laube, one of the AHS college counselors and a former college admissions officer, believes that this class is beneficial for those planning to attend college as well as those who are not.

“One of the things that I have appreciated having from my time working on admissions was seeing students, regardless of whether or not they want to move directly into the workforce, is that they have experience. That Guide School provides tangible experience; instead of saying ‘I want to’, it allows you to say, ‘Here is what I have done.’” Laube said.

The Aspen Mountain Guide School comes with a single caveat related to missed time on normal school days.

“This class takes a lot of out-of-class hours; for example, kids have to miss two full days of school this week for an exam,” Maiolo said, “It’s the real world waiting for them.”