East Burke, VT (Thursday, May 20, 2004) - Keep your eyes open if you plan to be on (or near) Vermont Route 100 this Friday and Saturday, for you may stumble upon a large group of elite ski racers running from Massachusetts to Canada in Burke Mountain Academy's (BMA) 29th year of participation in the Green Mountain Run. Beginning in Jacksonville and ending in North Troy, the Green Mountain Run is a relay lasting approximately 24 hours and spans the entire length of Vermont. The total distance covered is 211 miles, and each leg ranges between 3.7 and 4.7 miles.

Through money raised by a raffle in conjunction with the run, the school helps support its scholarship and operating needs. Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's has supported the event for the past two years, and their assistance further aids the 60-plus BMA student/athletes who follow their hearts and pursue their dreams of elite World Cup alpine ski racing.

Located in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and founded in 1970, Burke Mountain Academy is a very unique high school community that focuses on developing the athletic and academic abilities of young people from around the world. While the Academy has produced 39 Olympians, 80 US Ski Team members, and 55 NCAA All-Americans since its inception, it has also graduated over 800 men and women who have learned the true meaning of dedication, hard work, and community.

The Green Mountain Run is a classic illustration of the spirit of Burke Mountain Academy. Over dinner in 1975, two staff members dreamed up the idea of the Green Mountain Run - an event that would truly test the physical and mental toughness of the students and energize all that witness their courage.

Why would Burke Mountain Academy students and staff undertake such an extraordinary adventure? As a former staff member once said, "The run is a way for Burke students and staff to show that we are proud of our physical condition, we love being located in the middle of the beautiful Vermont landscape, and we enjoy being together - as a team."

Over the ensuing years, the Green Mountain Run has become a Vermont tradition. All over the state, people "wait" for the runners to pass, cheering enthusiastically for only a few minutes and then moving onto the rest of their day with a renewed sense of possibility and joy. For a brief moment, they are not strangers but part of a larger community that extends through all of Vermont.