Bundled in snow clothes, freshman Adam Gornick prepares to take a few runs down the hill before his first class of kids shows up.

“I teach snowboarding at Mt. Brighton, Mt. Holly and Pine Nob,” Gornick said. “We alternate.  I work with a club called Winter Walden, based out of West Bloomfield.”

As both a job and a hobby, Gornick instructs kids in snowboarding on winter weekends, from the beginning of December to the end of February.

“I show up at nine a.m., take some runs, and wait for the buses of kids,” Gornick said.  “We are really busy on Saturdays with more than 200 kids.  Sundays are less crowded, with 50 to 100 kids throughout the day, and an average of five kids per class.”

He is always in good company: Gornick works with other instructors, including his older brothers.

“Both Evan and Brad [Gornick] instructed snowboarding also,” Gornick said.  “We need about eight instructors on a busy Saturday, and five on Sunday.”

Gornick took the classes himself when he was younger, and has taken on the challenge of teaching the more advanced classes.

“I teach the classes ‘Airborne,’ ‘All Terrain,’ and ‘Ripper,’” Gornick said.  “They are advanced, and the kids have jumps and tricks.”

Crediting his childhood memories and his love of snowboarding, work does not feel like work to Gornick, despite making more than minimum wage.

“I grew up learning to snowboard through the program, and I always looked up to my instructors,” Gornick said.  “It’s a great feeling to have the impact on kids my instructors had on me.”