“It’s really cool getting to work with the kids.” said Alex Clark, 25, who helps teach underserved youth how to snowboard at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. “They each have their own personalities, and once they get out in the mountains it’s really cool to experience their first time snowboarding with them to when they become ‘proper shredders.’ I’ve gained so much from the sport, I just want to give back as much as I can.”

Carving the Future is a Jackson-based nonprofit that aims to empower youth through access to snowboarding and skateboarding. The organization, through the generous contributions of its donors, provides gear, lessons and even athletic scholarships for youth who otherwise wouldn’t have those opportunities.

“The skateboard community was amazing for him here,” said Katie Beech, speaking about her eldest son, Ethan, who’s now 23. Beech is now a member of Carving the Future’s board, serving as treasurer, and also volunteers to teach snowboarding and skateboarding.

Beech moved to Jackson from Utah in 2009 when her kids were very young. When Beech heard about Carving the Future a couple of years ago, she offered her services as a volunteer.

“I love how their goal is to teach kids tools and activities that have to do with Jackson, especially skateboarding,” Beech said of the organization. “All you need is a skateboard and a helmet.”

Snowboarding can be a little bit more expensive, to say the least.

This winter Clark, Beech and others have worked with kids from the Wind River Reservation at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, a group called Latina Leadership, as well as youth from the Eastern Shoshone Boys and Girls Club in Washakie and the Northern Arapahoe Diabetes Prevention group.

“For me it’s just a way to give back to snowboarding,” volunteer Sean Loehle said. “I’m in Jackson because of snowboarding. I feel just really grateful for everything I have, and I think snowboarding is a big part of that, just to inspire some kids to find something they’re passionate about.”

Loehle, 29, moved to Jackson Hole eight years ago after leaving his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, to snowboard in Colorado.

He works as part of the resort’s park and pipe crew and snowboards whenever he can.

So does Jer Ramirez.

Ramirez has volunteered with Carving the Future since early February, helping the Latina Leadership group on four straight Saturdays.

“I wanted to help others out and see where that would take me,” Ramirez said.

He has 20 years of skateboarding experience but didn’t start snowboarding until a few years ago, in his late 20s, largely because he couldn’t afford it growing up in Colorado.

“The barrier for entry into any ski sport is huge,” said Ramirez, who’s looking forward to helping Carving the Future with skateboarding clinics this summer.

He wants to see more females get into skateboarding.

“It’s intimidating to go to the skatepark when you’re learning,” Ramirez said. “It feels like all eyes are on you, even though that’s not true.”

Darren Moffett volunteered for Carving the Future starting last fall. His 14-year-old son, Jake, came home one day in September wearing a “Carving the Future” sweatshirt. Curious, Moffett researched the organization online, connected with its founder, Adam Dowell, who connected him with Executive Director Lynn Linker, “and the rest is history,” Moffett said.

“I wholly support what their mantra is,” said Moffett, who has 20 years of experience as an event industry consultant. He thinks he can help make Carving the Future a household name around Jackson by including not just underserved youth, but all youth.

“I just felt it was the right fit for me,” said Moffett, who’s helping Carving the Future set up a May 24 skateboarding event at the Center for the Arts. “They’re good people and they mean well.”

For Linker the volunteers are the organization’s lifeblood.

“We wouldn’t be able to run our program,” Linker said. “We heavily rely on our volunteers to gear up all the kids with all of our equipment.

“I’m grateful for them. If it was just a one-man show we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. So the fact that they give their time is huge.”

Carving the Future is also big on mental health.

“Our goal is to promote physical, mental, and social confidence for each beneficiary as we alleviate the mental health crisis in Wyoming through board sports,” the organization says on its website, making note of Wyoming’s disproportionately high suicide rate and challenging winters.

“We’re making it available to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have that opportunity,” Beech said of snowboarding. “And, I think, living in Jackson, every kid should have the opportunity to get on the slopes.”