One of our core missions at Mt. Ellis Academy is to help our students develop their God-given gifts. For some of our students, this means preparing them for the academic rigors of college, but that isn’t the case for all our students. With the major labor shortage around the country across all trades and the rising cost of college education, there is an increasing need to equip our young people with usable skills to enter the work force.  It is for this reason that we have taken the first step in developing our trade programs so that we can fulfill our mission to develop all our students’ God-given gifts so that they may be more prepared to charge into adulthood and serve in His Kingdom.

Mt. Ellis Academy (MEA) has launched its first cohort of HVAC training.  Today, there are less than 100 Certified Master HVAC Educators around the country, and MEA has partnered with Montana Trade School (MTS) to offer dual-learning opportunities for our students.  Program participants will work toward both their high school graduation and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification.  Students will learn advancements in technology to enhance HVAC training, skills, and marketability to employers. Upon completion of this 2-year program, students will receive EPA certification, enabling them to enter the workforce as a level 1 technician with a starting wage of $25-$30/hour.  

The Junior and Senior level course is taught by Framo Rimoni, an RSI HVAC/R graduate with over 31 years of experience in residential, commercial, and industrial HVAC service. He is assisted by Randy Wright, a licensed general contractor with over 35 years’ experience in the industry.  The six students in this first cohort (four boys and two girls) meet 4 afternoons/week on campus as they gain practical knowledge towards their certification.  

As we look to the future, we recognize the need to continue to offer a variety of training opportunities so that our students can be prepared to enter college, or if they choose, to further their training in a trade.  Some ideas that we are looking to develop in the future include auto mechanics, welding, plumbing, coding, electrical, and construction sciences.

Attention all 7th-11th graders! You are invited to join us for Ski the Summit and Academy Days February 5-7, 2023. We are excited to combine two fun events into a 3 day experience. Pastor Douglas Elsey is returning as our special Guest Speaker, and we have lots of fun activities planned for those who don’t ski/snowboard. Come for Sunday’s Academy Days event and Bear Canyon, experience Bridger Bowl’s Cold Smoke and Big Sky’s epic runs, or if you’d rather not ski/board you can participate in the mini courses that we will be offering on campus. Whichever option you choose, you won’t regret adventuring with us! Registration deadline is Wednesday, January 18. Questions? Contact the school at 406.587.5178 or email alumni@mtellis.org.

MEA students cliff jump and play in the water in the Crazy Mountains. We like to get out and experience creation! Our weekends may include rest, but they also provide opportunities for adventure! #AdventureStartsHere

April 14 and 15

Ditch the virtual life of the past 2 years and come to an honest-to-goodness reunion!  We are in need of in-person reconnections!  Join your classmates for ‘70s events Thursday and Friday before the official all-class Alumni Reunion.  

Thursday, the 14^th, 7:30pm ‘70s Party 

Dress for it!  70s music (DJ’d by Bill Kirkpatrick), food, giveaways. 

Friday, the 15^th, 10a-2pm Farmers’ Market BBQ-style lunch

Bring your creativity to display or sell:  photo albums of MEA days, artwork, pottery, photography, quilting/stitchery, woodworking, etc. 

Lodging — Option 1: find lodging in Bozeman using any of the many options available to those who are connected to cyberspace. Option 2: Stay in the MEA Guest Dorm (aka old girls’ dorm). Call 406-219-8559 to check availability and make a reservation—$40 includes linens and towel. RV parking/Tents: Call 406-487-5178, ext 102 to make arrangements.

Meals — $7.50/meal

RSVP, please — Facebook Event: Click “going/maybe” to register your intent to attend [click on either category to see who has already RVSP’d]. If you are not on Facebook, please go to https://mea70sreunion.weebly.com/ to RSVP. We need a head count for planning purposes. 

Additional Info: https://mea70sreunion.weebly.com/

All-class Alumni Reunion 2022 (April 15-17) — https://mtellis.org/alumni/ 

MEA Newsletter — https://mtellis.org/newsletter/ 

If your class hasn’t set up a formal method of communication or you don’t see someone’s name on the Facebook Event, contact them. Since Google knows everything about us, it’s not too difficult to find people. Try Whitepages.

MEA’s Got Talent!

Vote for your favorite acts here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1gW6FlIMfMD2HBNYAx-2F9JOX8QmN5MectUumWulUO7I/edit?usp=sharing