(FORTUNE Magazine) – IT'S EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE morning, an hour when most high school kids are just beginning to think about first-period class. Steve Reynolds is already in his first ''class'' of the day: He's skiing down Whiteface Mountain, near Lake Placid, New York. At an ice-skating rink a few miles away, Steve's schoolmate Valerie Hopkins is practicing jumps and figure eights. Another schoolmate, Sean Ryan, is gliding along a cross-country ski trail. And another, Pat Huneke, is sliding down a mountain at 65 miles per hour on a small sled called a luge. Welcome to a typical day at the National Sports Academy (NSA). Forty-five kids in grades eight to 12 attend the academy, which is in Lake Placid. The students study subjects such as math and English, and they train in their favorite winter sports. At the academy are 27 Alpine (or downhill) skiers, 12 figure skaters, four lugers, one cross-country skier, and one ski jumper. The NSA is clearly different from most high schools. For example, how many kids do you know who go to school in an old hotel? The four-story NSA schoolhouse was built for visitors to the 1980 Winter Olympics, which were held in Lake Placid. The hotel closed in 1984, and in 1987 the NSA moved in after it outgrew its original home, a smaller inn. Students sleep in bedrooms on the top two floors and go to classes on the ground floor. The library, dining room, and offices are on the second floor. The science lab was once the hotel bar! It's expensive to attend the NSA. Annual tuition, living, and training expenses range from $15,000 for a luger or skier to $25,000 for a figure skater. But students say it is worth the cost if you are serious about college and hope to compete on a United States national or Olympic team. Since the NSA opened in 1979, 75 of its 77 graduates have gone on to college. Five former students have competed at the Olympics, and 12 have competed on national teams. The NSA is the only school in the country that trains students in so many winter sports. And it's no coincidence that it is located in Lake Placid. NSA students train where the 1980 Olympians competed. The Olympic Skating Arena is a short walk from the school. Whiteface Mountain, where the Alpine skiers raced, is 11 miles away. Cross-country skiers train nine miles away at Mount Van Hoevenberg, which is also where the only luge track in the U.S. is located. Ski jumpers train at Kodak Park, 1 1/2 miles away. Life at the NSA is demanding. Take a look at the schedule:

6:30 A.M. Breakfast, which everyone must attend. 7:00-12:00 Figure-skating practice at the Arena. 7:45-12:00 Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and luge practice. 12:15 P.M. Lunch. 1:10-6:30 Academic classes. 6:30 Dinner. 7:00 Chores. Students are assigned jobs such as shoveling snow, working in the kitchen, and cleaning the TV lounges. 7:30-9:00 Study hall. Everyone must attend. 10:00 Each student must be in his or her room. 10:30 Lights out. It's a tough schedule, but most students like it. They say they're able to concentrate on sports and schoolwork more intently at the NSA than they could at home. Ruth Ruffing's story is typical of many NSA students. Ruth is 15 years old and a 10th-grader. She started downhill ski racing when she was 10. Her family lives in Brooklyn, New York, and Ruth raced at Gore Mountain in North Creek, New York. Ruth's mother drove her there and back -- an eight-hour round-trip -- every weekend. Ruth wanted to ski more often, but she also wanted to go out with her friends in Brooklyn. ''There were dances at school on Friday or Saturday night,'' she says. ''Of course, I couldn't go. I was skiing.'' Since enrolling in the academy in 1989, Ruth has been able to train and be with friends. Academy students like being able to discuss their triumphs and troubles with other athletes. Valerie Hopkins, 17, shares her thoughts and feelings with her roommate, Jennifer Gooding, 16. Both are figure skaters. ''At home, I didn't have anyone to complain to and say 'Oh, I had a horrible day skating,' '' says Valerie. ''Here, the other kids understand.'' To get into the NSA, students must have a C average or better in school and they must be committed to their sport. They also need recommendations from their previous schools and coaches. The kids at the academy may think of themselves as skiers, figure skaters, or lugers, but in the classroom, everyone is a student. ''I thought this school was going to be a breeze,'' says Romy Ruette, a 15- year-old Alpine skier from New York City. ''But it's hard.'' & To prepare for college, NSA students must take subjects such as English literature, pre-calculus (an advanced form of math), and at least one foreign language (French, German, or Spanish). Being able to speak another language comes in handy when the kids travel to other countries to train and compete. The courses at the NSA are difficult, but classes are small and teachers are dedicated. Each class has an average of only six students, and teachers often schedule assignments around training and competition schedules. ''The teachers here are more than just teachers,'' says Chris Jobson, a 15- year-old Alpine skier. ''They're friends.'' Students also receive attentive coaching. For example, the Alpine ski team has five coaches at every practice and the figure skaters always have three. The attention pays off: Valerie Hopkins should move to skating's top level by this summer; Steve Reynolds, 14, is one of the three best Alpine skiers in his age group on the East Coast; and Sean Ryan, 14, is a member of the Junior Olympic National Cross-Country Ski Team. NSA students often get to train with top athletes from around the world. Last fall, 10 NSA skiers went to Hintertux, Austria, to train with World Cup competitors. Pat Huneke, 17, recently spent three weeks training in Canada on the luge track used for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. When they aren't training or studying, NSA students are often out running, playing soccer, RollerBlading, or riding mountain bikes. Most of the students think the NSA is a blast, though they also know that they train and study harder than other kids their age. Says Romy Ruette, ''To go to a school like this, you have to be devoted.''