Snowboarder Jamie Anderson Gives Back to South Lake Tahoe Students

Fresh off a gold medal win at Breckenridge's Dew Tour Saturday, local snowboarding champion Jamie Anderson spent time Monday with South Lake Tahoe students.

Anderson spoke via Skype from a coffee house in Vail, Colorado to the group which consisted of two elementary students from Sierra House, two middle school students from South Tahoe Middle School, one from Mt. Tallac and four from South Tahoe High. The students all won a contest at their schools which will give them all a special Jamie Anderson package which consists of snowboards, clothing and gear as well as a season pass to Sierra at Tahoe.

This is the third year that she has sponsored the contest, having grown from two winners the first year, to four last year and this year's eight winners. Sierra at Tahoe and Anderson's sponsors all helped her put together the prizes.

"I want to create a community of love and gratitude," said Anderson. "I want to spread awareness by giving back with love. We all have something to give back," she told the students.

The winners are 5th graders Alexa Caramazza and Monserrat Franco, 6 grader Allison Kennedy and 8th grader Quinten Marullo. From STHS, Kellen Gronwold, 16, Jorge Luquin, 16, and Chloe Nolan, 17, all won the full packages as well as Quinn Avila, 16, from Mt. Tallac.

High School students Paul Mutz and Kayla Griffith were each awarded a day pass to Sierra at Tahoe.

Dr. James Tarwater, LTUSD Superintendent, greeted Anderson on the screen by saying "we appreciate the love." Mt. Tallac Principal Karen Tinlin and STHS Principal Yvonne Larsen were also on hand for the Skype meeting. Both reminded Jamie of when she was a young girl in South Lake Tahoe, Larsen having been her Spanish tutor and Tinlin at the school where Jamie and her family came to watch Tahoe Arts Project performances.

Jamie heads to South Lake Tahoe on December 28 when she'll meet all of the winners and join them for a day of snowboarding. She closed the meeting by telling the kids to "follow your heart and your dreams."