April Skateboarding!

Spring weather is in the air! For the last 3 weeks, Elevate Youth partnered with Mira Haddad to introduce skateboarding to our school youthers.

Each of our enrichment sessions began with our top priority at EY: safety. Mira provided helmets for every kid, plus wrist guards, knee pads, and elbow pads. Before we got started, Mira shared the parts of the skateboard and how they are used while skating.

In our first week, we learned the basics of pushing, penny flips, and foot stance. In the second week, we learned about kick-turns, crab walking, and some more advanced tricks. During April break, Elevate Youth brought kids to the Allston Pumptrack & Skatepark to practice pushing for longer distances, hills, ramps, and more fun tricks. At the skatepark, youthers had the opportunity to watch Mira and our talented volunteers skate the pump track and try out advanced tricks.

Elevate Youth chose skateboarding because it’s creative, outdoors, and fit for all ages. Mira told our staff that despite skating for years, every day she is coming up with new tricks and learning new techniques. Skateboarding is a unique way to get outside because you can utilize local green spaces, your own yard, or use it as transportation. People of all ages can skate – some start as young as 4 or 5, and older adults love to learn and use skating to stay active.

Our kids were amazed at their own skill and surprised themselves by how quickly they picked up on skateboarding. Many were unsure about balancing on wheels when they arrived and were cruising like naturals by the end of the day. One youther said in their youth evaluation, “I had a lot of fun and got better at skateboarding. In the beginning I was too scared to try anything but then I got help.” Our staff is trained in meeting our youthers where they are, in terms of ability, skill level, and personality. We are often learning alongside our kids and adults and kids alike thrived with this month’s learning-by-doing model. We’re so proud of our youthers for stepping outside their comfort zone and trying something new.

Skateboarding was a huge hit all month long. After our enrichment sessions, kids reported using their own skateboards at home, asking for a skateboard for their birthday, requesting skateboards at camp this summer, and some even brought their own boards to programming! Our programs give our youth the platform to learn a new skill beyond our weekly enrichment sessions – we ensure they are set up to continue this skill at home. With pushing and a couple beginner-level tricks, our youthers are set up to be successful life-long skaters.