I was the recipient of a Flyin Ryan Scholarship that allowed me to take my AIARE 2 avalanche education course. This was critical to my success on a year long backcountry skiing project. The whole organization is amazing and even after the scholarship continues to support my outdoors endeavors. Can't speak highly enough of everyone involved.
With over 160 adventure scholars awarded, it is amazing to see the impact of the Foundation through Ryan's legacy. The core values "challenge" has reached and impacted thousands of people, making the world a better a place.
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The non-profit continues to impact the lives of so many, encouraging people of all ages to take a deep dive into who they are and what values are important them. The support of adventure scholarships, reaching over 140 individuals is incredible!
The Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation is an amazing foundation that helps people of all ages achieve the goals! For some with out the foundation some people might not be able to achieve their goals.
The Flyin Ryan Hawks foundation has been amazing! In March 2024 I became a Flyin Ryan adventure scholar, they helped me travel out to the Junior Freeride Championships and pursue my goals. The Flyin Ryan Hawks foundation is helping people learn and understand what core values are along with helping people pursue there dreams and goals. The Flyin Ryan Hawks foundation is a truly amazing organization!
-Levi Friedman
Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation helped me take my competitive mountain biking to the next level. Their support allowed me to travel internationally to compete - a trip that wouldn’t have been financially possible without FRHF. I’m so grateful for the experience and development I gained from this adventure.
Flyin Ryan Hawk foundation uses core values that have led a pathway for many individuals to reach their full potential as human beings. They have guided the way people live their lives for better, kinder, happier day’s.
The Flyin Ryan Foundation is wonderful. They are super flexible with their generous donations and keep in touch with members of the foundation.
FlyinRyan is an amazing organization with an amazing message. Through their core values program and becoming an adventure scholar I learned so much about myself and it has made me a more aware, grateful, and focused person.
Flyin Ryan is an effective and far reaching organization helping people lives their most fulfilled, happy lives through core values education. Well worth supporting!
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Flyin Ryan is a spirited, generous organization with a heart of gold, giving out Adventure Scholarships as well as providing Decisions Program (AKA Core Values) education to students and athletes. I wholeheartedly support the work they do.
Flyin Ryan changes lives through Core Values education, cannot recommend them highly enough!
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I have been working with the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation for the past 3 years. The Board is incredibly motivated to support youths and adventurers in developing their own set of unique core values so they can show up presently and fully in their lives. Events, scholarships, presentations and now the new Decisions App have made this possible. Flyin Ryan does great work with heart!
The Flyin Ryan foundation continues to provide exceptional guidance for people of all ages in establishing core values that guide the decisions they make. In addition, the scholarships that they award allow people to pursue the adventures driven by the values that they have chosen to live by.
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This Flyin Ryan Foundation continues to make a difference in the lives of people on a daily basis by encouraging them to craft their own core values. These core values become their decision making tools leading hopefully to better decisions grounded in who each individual wants to be. I am always inspired when I hear someone who has been touched by the foundation share their core values. In addition we continue to award adventure scholarships for those people who want to live their core values and pursue their dreams.
Flyin Ryan has been instrumental in supporting athletes and adventurers of all kinds with their Decisions Program and Adventure Scholarship program, excited to see what they do next!
The Flyin Ryan Foundation helps people reflect upon and formally identify their core values. Their work has been particularly valuable in Vermont schools.
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Love the positivity,supporting adventure scholars!
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In this crazy world we live in,I have supported the Flyin Ryan Foundation every year! It is so great to hear positive news. I also have a 25 year old who made some not so great choices,then turned it around. Some of that was due to core values that Foundation stands by. In this day and age with folks getting hooked on drugs,supporting these values and outdoor exploration is where it should be!!!!!
Although Flyin Ryan supports athletes of all kinds in their endeavors, its greater importance is in helping students - athletes or not - in identifying their core values as human beings. Being supported in the work of articulating what is important in life is a gift to the individuals who participate in these programs. Using Ryan's story as a world class athlete whose personal mission extended far beyond standing on a podium is an engaging way to draw young people into doing this same visioning for themselves.
As an FRF board member and former Director of Outdoor Programs at the University of Vermont, I have seen first hand the impact that the adventure scholars program has made in the lives of a number of students that have applied. Having known and worked with Ryan as a student, I experienced first hand a number of his core principles in action, when traveling in the backcountry with peers. Ryan was always supportive and engaged positively with his peers no matter their ability or limitations. In this spirit, Aaron Rice was supported in his effort to break the world record for most vertical feet gained and skied in a single season. Vasu Sojitra received support in his attempt to climb Denali and Mya Magney in her effort to sea kayak the length of the Mississippi River to do an environmental & water quality analysis. The Flyin' Ryan Foundation has deeply impacted the personal growth and career development of young people who will have big impacts in their communities...
It has been an incredible privilege to lead and to help shape this foundation over the course of the last 11 years. We have been a game changing experience for many of the students, adventurers and athletes who have been exposed to Ryan's spirit and core values. We ask people to take control of their destiny by crafting their own core values as opposed to surrendering to the expectations of others. We have awarded over 130 adventure scholarships over the past decade. Our adventure scholar community travels far and wide while sharing what we are all about.
Onward and upward,
Peter
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The spirit of Ryan Hawks continues to be a current event. The foundation serves as his messenger to spread the word that: core values matter. The signature program, Flyin Ryan Decisions Program, is currently being introduced to Vermont schools as part of the personal Learning Plan initiative which is centered around the idea of flexible pathways to education and recognition that students who have had the opportunity to identify who they are and what is important to them are far more likely to succeed in postsecondary years. Students and athletes are now composing their own set of core values (as did Ryan) to serve as the basis for their future attitude, decision-making, and behavior.
We have had the privilege of awarding over 120 adventure scholarships in order to facilitate the dreams of applicants who are driven by passion, financial need, and character.
The impact of the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation simply cannot be measured. By empowering people of all ages to determine their Core Values, along with the Decisions Program and Adventure Scholarships, Ryan's legacy is being felt in communities throughout the country. Because of the foundation, so many aspiring athletes can now fly like Ryan.
Flyin' Ryan is doing incredible work helping people achieve their dreams. Helping their scholars define and then act on their core values is a life lesson that will pay dividends forever.
Loved everything about Ryan (and his fam). Flyin’ Ryan does so much good and makes me feel like my pal never left us!
The Flyin Ryan Foundation gives the opportunity for Ryan to have a legacy. It's a great small charity.
A very worthy foundation.
We have supported the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation since its start and continue to do so.
Blessings
Rev. Brad Whitney
As a ski coach the Flyin Ryan Decisions Program has been an outstanding tool for introducing athletes to their core values, and teaching them how to make good decisions that are grounded in their core values!
A top-quality organization whose primary goal is to make the world a better place through their adventure scholarships and core values programs!
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The Flyin Ryan Foundation is dedicated to developing thoughtful, reflective young (and old) people. What could be better than that? Make sure to take the time to check them out!
The Hawks are an inspirational family who have turned the tragic death of their son into hope and inspiration for young adults who dare to dream and contribute to this world. The Hawks have tirelessly reached out beyond their grief and touched the community in so many ways. I was fortunate enough to know Ryan Hawks as a teen and young adult. He mowed my lawn for spending money and compassionately spent time with and was an inspiration and mentor for my young, developmentally disabled son.
Such an inspiring Foundation for young people. I've spent a career working on youth leadership training, and Flyin Ryan gets high marks for their work!
Six years ago, two friends referred me to Peter Hawks, who was looking for a little help with his technology needs. Peter, his family and a small cadre of like minded people were building the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation to honor Ryan Hawks and to celebrate the memory and influence of a unique and widely loved adventurous young athlete.
As I began this journey, I thought it would give me a little extra income and keep me busy in my semi-retirement. That is only a small portion of what my relationship with this organization and the people associated with it has given me.
During the past six years, the Foundation has become much more than part-time contract work. As I learned more about the Foundation and the good work they were doing, I became an advocate of their approach to helping people learn about who they really are, and how they can illuminate and utilize their self-determined set of Core Values to make better decisions, reduce risk, and pursue a values-based life.
The Foundation puts their small endowment to work, awarding Adventure Scholarships to young athletes, adventurers and others to help them achieve their dreams in the face of financial constraints. A part of that process is a commitment from the applicants to explore and develop a personally generated set of Core Values to define and guide them, to take ownership of who they are and what they believe deep down. The results have been nothing short of remarkable, in many cases.
The Foundation's Decisions for Education Program has been utilized in a number of Vermont schools, where a critical component of state mandated Personalized Learning Plans is self-knowledge. The Decisions Program has had significant impact on thousands of students, as reported by the students themselves, and backed up with testimonials from peers, teachers, families and coaches.
I list myself here as a donor, and I also disclose that I am a part-time contractor (not an employee), a volunteer, and one who has become an avid supporter and advocate for the Foundation's work.
Implementing the Decisions Program will not only help the youth find their identity, but change the culture of a school. I love the work Flyin Ryan does!
Proud to be involved with an organization that is dedicated to inspiring teens and young adults to establish individual core values to steer and guide their personal growth thru adventure and contribution to community.
The Flying Ryan Foundation encourages kids of all ages to be themselves and follow their dreams. I think organizations like Flying Ryan are what keeps kids inspired to do more not only for themselves but for others. I am so lucky to be able to see all the great work this foundation does. As an alumnus of Saint Mikes in Burlington Vermont you can see the impacts this amazing foundation has across not only Burlington but the country.
I stumbled upon the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation three years ago and was right away moved at how powerful of an organization it is. Ryan's core values exemplify a life everyone should strive to lead; a life that doesn't take any day for granted and portrays kindness. This organization has taken those core values and has given people the opportunity to adventure as much as Ryan did. While given that opportunity, they in turn live out the caring, free spirited life Ryan lived. I love this organization and the growing Flyin Ryan family!
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I stumbled upon the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation last spring and was right away moved at how powerful of an organization it is. Ryan's core values exemplify a life everyone should strive to lead; a life that doesn't take any day for granted and portrays kindness. This organization has taken those core values and has given people the opportunity to adventure as much as Ryan did. While given that opportunity, they in turn live out the caring, free spirited life Ryan lived. The Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation has made people step back and question their core values. They have changed people's lives through adventure and values.
Flyin Ryan actively works to help improve the lives of their community and the members within. Their adventure scholarship program is amazing and helps so many people do such cool things.
As a small business partner of the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation, we can't say enough about their mission and everything they do to empower self discovery, as well as providing scholarship opportunities to adventurers and impacting school curriculum in Vermont. We had the fortunate opportunity to know Ryan who was a personal friend and ski buddy of our Ski The East crew, and seeing his values passed on to create real change in others is super inspiring to anyone lucky enough to learn about the FRH Foundation. Onward and upward!
My brothers and I were fortunate enough to win one of the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation grants and it has helped us progress our skiing immensely.
I have worked with this organization for year. Peter and the whole crew carries on the legacy, and values that fuel quality individuals for a promising future. What an organization!
Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation is a fantastic organization that has done so much for the VT community and has help adventure-seekers all over the country! I love tracking the work they do!
Flyin' Ryan provides great safety information in a cool way for my students, as well as provides scholarship money for winter program athletes who could otherwise not afford to pursue their passion.
An excellent cause based on core values. Amazing programmes that help kids and athletes become educated in decision making and being more aware of the positive steps they take in life to reach success. Not enough programmes encourage people to really focus on their core values and what they want to achieve out of something. This does exactly that. An excellent foundation and great to see all these amazing kids come out of the programme.
Flyin Ryan facilitated a powerful workshop on Core Values that deepened our work on youth leadership development. The Core Values workshop came midway through a two day immersion program involving young people and their adult partners who were setting out to make a positive impact on their school communities.
I was introduced to the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation about 6 years ago. In that time I have seen a steady growth in the organization's reach and scope. The work they are doing is clearly exceptional. The Decisions Program has been introducing hundreds, if not thousands, of Vermont youth to the principles of looking within oneself to connect with one's Core Values which in turn inform the decisions one makes in life, both big and small. The Adventure Scholar Program continues to be a great success across the country. The vitality that Peter Hawks, the founder, pours into the organization is endless along with the guidance of a solid Board to help him out. With a strong and well managed financial footing we can only expect more great things to come out of the foundation dedicated to the principles of the way Ryan conducted his life.
We’ve been working with the Flyin Ryan Foundation since 2015. The core values that Peter and the foundation promote have inspired our organization and provided a strong foundation for a meaningful partnership.
Peter’s passion and energy is unrivaled. He lives every day with an unmatched spirit and curiosity that inspires individuals and their pursuit of a balanced, healthy and adventure-filled lifestyle.
Ryan’s spirit lives on through Peter’s tireless efforts. We’ve been fortunate to contribute to the Adventure Scholarship program that the foundation offers, which allows individuals to follow their passions and realize their goals with support from the organization.
In Vermont, the Flyin Ryan Foundation’s work produces meaningful results that embody the kind-hearted, genuine spirit of our state.
Mad River Glen is a ski area that Ryan Hawks' family knows well and appreciates as they lived in our "neighborhood". When Ryan passed his memorial was held on top of our mountain. Clearly this family and the foundation it spawned is near and dear to us here at Mad River Glen.
Since it's founding Flyin' Ryan has funded scholarships for various youth ski programs that enabled access to many young people who never would have had the opportunity to participate in these kinds of programs. S\I have seen first hand how several of our scholarship recipients had life changing experiences and opportunities present themselves directly because of Flyin' Ryans impact.
What I appreciate most about the foundation is that it has remained grounded and humble and always comes complete with a very personal connection. I know that the vast majority of the funding goes directly to fund great projects designed to encourage young people to make positive decision making. very little goes to administration and fluff.
We are and always will be huge supporters of the Flyin' Ryan Foundation and we strongly encourage others to support this unique organization.
Eric Friedman
Mad River Glen - Vermont
In 2014 the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation (FRF) developed the Decisions Program for Athletes, aimed specifically at teaching Big Mountain Freeride ski and snowboard athletes to manage risk and make better decisions that are grounded in their core values. This program has been extremely well received by junior and adult athletes and coaches, so much so that it has been added to the coaching certification curriculum of the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association. As an IFSA certified coach and program director, I can say that the FRF is having a strong positive and meaningful impact on our sport.
As Ryan Hawks mother, I want to say how proud I feel to be part of the Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation. Through this foundation many passionate, adventurous people have been given an opportunity to pursue their dreams. Ryan loved loved life, people, animals, sports, and adventures of any kind. Helping someone to pursue their passion really warms my heart and connects me to Ryan. Life can be so tough, the foundation can help lighten up the load.
I received a scholarship from Flyin Ryan Hawks to get more avalanche education and he has made me much more safe in the backcountry. They also connected me with a network of young outdoorsmen and women full of inspiring individuals.
Flyin Ryan has made such a positive impact on my life and who I am today. The Hawks Foundation turned one of my biggest dreams into a reality. My experience as a ski racer with MRSC enabled me to grow as a friend, daughter, sister and athlete. I´m so thankful for everything you have done for me. Thank you!
The Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation brings me such joy knowing they dedicate their work to finding individuals that have a burning spirit of Adventure and compassion. They have awarded me in order for me to pursue my adventurous goals and to continue my education. Before I was even finished with my application, I had recommended the foundation to 3 of my other friends. I will continue to tag them in my adventures!
larryl 11/20/2017
Thanks, Jacob! Much appreciated!
Flyin Ryan helped me be able to take an Avy 2 class last winter and they couldn't have been more helpful! After having a ton of friends get scholarships through them to pursue their outdoor pursuits, I applied as well and I'm so glad I did. They're the freaking best, and I could not have gotten the certification without them!
larryl 11/20/2017
Thanks, Andie! Much appreciated!
The Flyin' Ryan Foundation was fantastic to work with. They helped send me to British Columbia to make a short film about a family that operates a backcountry guiding service in the Purcell Mountains. I got to meet amazing people along the way and ski some incredible snow. I couldn't have afforded to undertake this project without the help of the Adventure Scholar Grant. They made it easy to apply and were genuinely excited to help me fulfill reach my goal. They've stayed in touch with me since I got back and it's great to still be part of such a close community.
The Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation is an incredible foundation and support from them made my year long road trip to all of the national parks in the lower 48 states possible. They are an incredible group of people dedicated to making the outdoors and adventure as a whole accessible to everyone. They ROCK!
larryl 11/20/2017
Thanks, Julian! Much appreciated!
Support from Flyin Ryan Hawks foundation has given athletes such as me a chance to follow their dream. What inspired me to apply for a Fyin Ryan scholarship was all the stories from the people who have benefitted from a scholarship by the Flyin Ryan Foundation. You have in fact spread joy to me and every athlete you have helped fallow their dreams. I used my scholarship to help pay for the diamond dog's program at Sugarbush Mount Ellen. There, I learned park skiing - throwing big air and learning tricks that I have always wanted to do.
This winter, I am attending at Green Mountain Vally School In Fayston Vermont to fallow my dream of being a ski racer.
Thank you for your support! You have helped inspire me to dream big.
-Hazel Harris, Mad River Vally
larryl 11/20/2017
Thanks, Hazel! Love the pics you posted.
Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation has given so many young athletes the inspiration and support to follow their dreams. The influence of the many volunteers and supporters is felt in our community, our state and in so many places around the world. Spreading joy...growing...and changing lives. Keep up the great work.
larryl 11/20/2017
Thanks, Jennifer! We appreciate it.
The Flyin Ryan Hawks Foundation is doing awesome things for all the right reasons.
These are interesting times we are living in. Children are bombarded daily with information and distractions. The Core Values and Decisions Programs are a great tool to provide today's youth with a rock solid foundation. A foundation that will assist in navigating life's obstacles.
larryl 03/16/2017
Thanks, Patrick!
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larryl 11/20/2017 Thanks, Aaron! We appreciate it!