A unique partnership between Moses Brown School and snowboard company Gilson Snow (co-founded by Nick Gilson ‘07) continues to ignite creativity and real-world learning. This multi-year collaboration, which began in 2020, has seen students engage in market research, fundraising, social media campaigns, and now, product development. The partnership exemplifies how experiential learning can empower young people to become innovative thinkers and responsible citizens.
The latest chapter saw students (and two alumni) utilize various disciplines and fields of study, including economics, business, art, and design to conceptualize their own snowboards in a competition. In the end, just one design was selected to be made into an actual snowboard, with the hope that other designs might be produced in the future as well.
According to Gara Field, Director of Global Education & Social Innovation, this fall’s design challenge pushed students to learn “how to be creative and look inward – to dream up a board that represents themselves and something that is cool and inspiring, and has to do with the things they love, or their identity or their passion.” Gara has led the partnership with Gilson since its inception.
The winning board, crafted by Marybeth Fitzsimmons ’20, blends artistic expression with entrepreneurial thinking, and features many Easter eggs for MB community members to uncover if they look closely.
Nick’s ultimate vision for the MB Collection of Gilson Snow snowboards is that they would be eventually available to buy for the school community, and that proceeds would go to the Moses Brown Fund.
Before winter break, 34 students traveled to Selinsgrove, PA to spend time with Nick at the Gilson Snow headquarters to learn the ins-and-outs of how they run their unique business. In addition to Gara, teacher Dan Ohl was also on the trip. Dan taught Nick in middle school and now teaches the spring Economics of Social Innovation (ESI) class in upper school. The students came from classes such as ESI, international economics, and business economics. They did more than just tour the facility and talk. They got hands-on when they helped create the winning design as a physical board.
Nick and Dan Ohl, one of his middle school teachers!
"This partnership is truly extraordinary," said Nick. "It's inspiring to see students develop interdisciplinary skills, from design and manufacturing to marketing and communications, all while creating something truly unique."
Having an opportunity to work with Nick and to learn from his journey, as well as observe the Gilson Snow operation firsthand, was very impactful for students.
“I was most inspired by Gilson snow in the way that he took his education, especially a lot of the values that he learned from Moses Brown and was able to go out into the world and build a company,” shared senior Dylan W. “I thought it was very impactful and very cool, how you can really do whatever you want, and how our education is guiding us through our life.”
Senior Vasilis T. was impressed that the Gilson products are’t mass produced and distributed to sellers. Each is made after being specifically ordered. “One of my biggest takeaways was how innovative he is, just the fact when we saw all those boards being made, all of those had a home already,” he said.
The fall design challenge had its start last spring during MB Immersion, a three-day opportunity for students to focus solely on a particular interest, activity, or area of study. One immersive was an extension of the MB/Gilson Snow collaboration, offering students the opportunity to design their own snowboard. During that immersive Liam C. ‘26 developed a design that he continued to work on through the summer via ongoing communication and feedback with Nick. Gilson kindly shipped the board with his design to Liam. As luck would have it, was also able to join on the trip to visit Gilson Snow in December – his board in hand – to be interviewed by Gilson Snow’s creative production team about his story and design concept.
“Liam and his board will be featured on the Gilson website soon as the youngest Gilson snow artist to be brought to market,” said Gara.
MB students have had so much to gain from the Gilson Snow collaboration. You might ask what’s in it for Nick Gilson? Beyond his obvious love for Moses Brown, the value for the company is tapping into the minds of high school students, especially those of the inquisitive and creative nature at MB.