Nordic Rocks

NENSA is celebrating our 30th anniversary in 2025. As part of the occasion, we’re gathering reflections from skiers across New England on the people, moments, and values which have defined the NENSA community. Each week, we’ll feature a different member’s reflections in the NENSA Community in Kickzone. This week, we are featuring Sadie Graham, one of our dedicated Nordic Rocks coordinators located in Western Massachusetts.

Read the introduction to this Project HERE. We’re excited to celebrate a NENSA community which extends deep into, and beyond, the New England winter woods!

We want to hear from you! Send in your NENSA 30th reflections using this form HERE.

When Sadie first strapped on a pair of cross country skis in 2015 as an adult, she had no idea how much the sport would come to mean to her, or where it would take her. Growing up, skiing wasn’t something that was easily accessible, even though it was all around her. But when she finally had the chance to try it as an adult, it quickly became a favorite way to stay active, enjoy winter, and connect with the outdoors.

“I wasn’t formally introduced to XC skiing until I was 24,” Sadie shares. “But I loved how accessible and affordable it was, and how it got me outside where I’m most comfortable. Winter in New England is hard, and skiing became a way to enjoy that hard season.”

In 2021, Sadie was introduced to NENSA and the Nordic Rocks program by her advisor, who connected her with then-program head Kait Miller. She was looking for new ways to bring outdoor adventure into her school’s physical education curriculum, and she found just the thing. By 2022, Sadie was running Nordic Rocks programming in her school and introducing her students to a sport that had transformed her own relationship with winter.

“Being able to give my students something I never had, but was always surrounded by, is incredibly meaningful,” Sadie says. “XC skiing is such a powerful tool for accessibility, confidence, and fun.”

Sadie is one of many passionate Nordic Rocks coordinators across New England helping kids discover skiing, often for the first time during the school day. Their commitment, creativity, and heart are what bring this program to life in schools and communities year after year, creating new generations of skiers, one stride at a time.

NENSA is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a grant from the Killington World Cup Foundation (KWCF) in continued support of the Nordic Rocks program. Over the past three years, KWCF’s generous support has helped NENSA grow Nordic Rocks into a program that served nearly 5,000 children in 56 elementary schools across the Northeast last winter.

The Nordic Rocks (NR) program was developed to introduce a new generation of children in grades K–6 to the joy and benefits of cross-country skiing. Through this program, elementary school students have the opportunity to ski during the school day as part of their physical education curriculum alongside their teachers and classmates. In doing so, they not only experience the fun of gliding on snow, but also learn about the health, wellness, and lifestyle benefits that come with regular outdoor activity.

Nordic Rocks is the most inclusive and equitable program offered by NENSA. Every student participates, regardless of financial means, access to transportation, or family support. The program’s impact goes far beyond the snow. It’s fostering healthier, more confident, and more resilient children. By learning a new skill like skiing, students build self-esteem, develop perseverance, and strengthen teamwork skills that serve them both in and out of the classroom.

NENSA supports each participating school by providing an accessible ski curriculum, facilitating equipment acquisition, and offering hands-on instructional support, including visits from our Youth & Introductory Program Director. The curriculum is designed for flexibility, with indoor and outdoor activity options to ensure year-round accessibility. NENSA also connects Nordic Rocks schools with local ski clubs and ski centers, creating pathways to continue the sport outside school hours.

We are deeply grateful to the Killington World Cup Foundation for their continued partnership. Their support has not only expanded access to skiing, but has inspired healthy lifestyles, greater confidence, and a love of outdoor adventure for thousands of children.

We’re excited to announce that the NENSA Nordic Rocks Interest Form for the 2025-26 season is open! Nordic Rocks is a cornerstone program of NENSA, designed to introduce cross-country skiing to children in elementary schools across the Northeast in a fun, inclusive, and accessible way.

For the past eight years, NENSA’s Nordic Rocks program has been spreading smiles (and snowy tracks!) across the Northeast, introducing thousands of kids in over 60 schools to the thrill of cross-country skiing—right alongside their teachers and classmates. With skis on their feet and laughter in the air, students experience the many perks of outdoor play: fresh air, movement, and a whole lot of winter fun.

But Nordic Rocks is more than just a first glide—it’s a launchpad. The program not only gets kids moving, it also helps connect them with local youth ski programs, creating a pathway for those who want to keep sliding, striding, and smiling well beyond PE class. It’s all about building confidence, community, and a lifelong love for snow-filled adventures!

If you’re a school interested in bringing Nordic skiing to your students next winter, we invite you to fill out our interest form today.

Read more about our Nordic Rocks program HERE.

This winter, the snowy trails of the Northeast came alive with adventure, creativity, and the kind of joy only Ski Bingo can deliver! From zooming through homemade obstacle courses to giggling through gliding contests, spotting animal tracks in the snow, and even giving other winter sports a whirl — our Bingo participants embraced the snowy spirit of the season.

Now in its fifth year, NENSA’s virtual XC Ski Bingo kept the winter vibes high and the energy playful. And guess what? We had Bingo cards for both kids and adults, making this a full-family frolic for the third year running!

The real magic? The stories, the laughter, and the snapshots shared by our amazing skiers. Whether it was snowy woods in Vermont or a sparkling trail in Maine, the fun was as deep as the snowbanks. And with so many creative challenges to complete, no two Bingo cards (or ski days!) looked the same.

Scroll on to check out the epic photos and tales straight from the trails — because nothing beats winter fun when it’s shared.

“We introduced a first time xc skier friend to skis on this adventure!”

“My skier skied no poles all the way up Parizo Trails to the cabin at Trapp’s! so much grit. He did a ski that day of his age in miles (7). we were so proud of him, and he was proud of himself, too!”

“It made it fun to do new things!”

“I liked looking for animal tracks.”

“I was excited to join BKL this year and to do my first races (and get ribbons)! I also enjoyed the Sleepy Hollow Wednesday Night Worlds fun races. I skied lots of new places this year at Sleepy Hollow and Camels Hump, and made it to Trapps Cabin for the first time. I loved skiing to and staying in Butternut Cabin and Flagstaff Hut with family. I also liked looking for animal tracks when out skiing and trying to figure out what animal they were.”

“NENSA bingo inspired me to ski my age in K three times this season. My daughter and I spent a whole afternoon researching the birkebeiners after falling down a historical ski fact rabbit hole.”