More than 100 students from Vestborg Upper Secondary School in Stranda, Norway, are planning to travel to Falun 2027 to work as volunteers during the event.
— The students cheered when we presented the travel plans to them, says Lars Johan Stokken, teacher and coordinator of the Falun project.
Stranda, located near Ålesund on Norway’s Atlantic coast, is home to Vestborg Upper Secondary School, a boarding school founded on Christian values. During this winter’s World Cup competitions in Falun, a group of six students and two teachers made the more than 13-hour journey to Falun to serve as volunteers during the Cross-Country Skiing World Cup and the Nordic Combined Continental Cup.
— We are here as a pilot group to get to know the venue and the organisation ahead of what awaits us next year. We have received tremendous support from the organisers and have been given a fantastic welcome, said teacher Lars Johan Stokken when we met him during the competition weekend.
Next year, the school plans to bring all of its students—more than 100 in total—to Falun to work as volunteers – Heroes – during the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships.
— We have previously taken students to several events as volunteers. We have worked at the Biathlon World Cup in Östersund, and during the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim. The students enjoyed it immensely, and we received excellent feedback from the organisers, so we wanted to do it again. This time, however, in Sweden, says Lars Johan Stokken.
What does this mean for the school and its students?
— We want to teach our students the importance of volunteering, and it also creates a strong sense of community. During the Championships, we will stay just a three-minute walk from the Lugnet arena. This is a major and exciting project, not least because the students will have the opportunity to work in another country. It is also a wonderful example of the close friendship between Sweden and Norway, says Stokken.
One of the six students who volunteered during this winter’s World Cup competitions was David Lundanes.
— My role here is as a caretaker, helping out wherever needed. Last year in Trondheim, I was part of the snow and gritting team. It was a fun assignment, and many people appreciated our work, especially considering the challenges caused by the mild weather, says Lundanes.
And what do your classmates think about coming to Falun next year?
— Everyone is looking forward to it. We are really excited about coming here with the entire school next year, says Lundanes.
The Norwegian team during this winter’s competitions consisted of the students David Lundanes, Laura Slördal, Ingrid-Elise Aaberg, David Fiskerstrand, Kornelia Lillestøl, and Leander Nygaard, together with the teachers Lars Johan Stokken and Anders Nybakk.
Would you like to become one of Falun 2027’s Heroes too?
You can find our volunteer application here.