The school is no longer the center of social life. Kids are either working to help their families or hanging on the street corner.

It was like -- oh my God, I can't believe it. So everybody came out and there were kids lying on the ground, running all over the place.

Maybe it's sheer athleticism, but that's not quite it. Aspen kids are on skis for so much of their life. When they put on jumping skis, they are just big skis. They are not intimidated and handle it beautifully. They are fearless.

There's summer school, kids getting extra credits, who's going to help them?

I think the school board felt this is a way to continue to help the kids in River Valley.

It still seems that when you talk about 'material evidence,' it boils down to kids going from a private school to a public [school].