Scottsville Elementary School isn’t going to bail on its students’ sport offerings. A new skateboarding program is being offering with the help of a grant from First Push Syndicate, an organization that focuses on creating opportunities for school-age kids to learn how to skateboard in a fun safe environment with a proven curriculum.
Last year, Matthew Bahn, a physical education teacher at SES, sought a grant through the organization’s Get On Board program. Get On Board is the longest running program at First Push and “quite possibly the largest skateboard program in United States in terms of impact hours,” according to the organization’s website.
“This skateboarding grant gives access to rural kids that otherwise don’t have access to pricey equipment,” Bahn said. “It will push them to try new things outside their comfort zone and possibly find a new passion beyond team sports.”
According to their website, the idea of the program is to work with partners to train a champion (teacher, coach, etc.) to facilitate the Get On Board curriculum on their own, allowing them to add their own voice to meet the needs of their students. In addition, the organization loans all the gear to the school. This system allows the group to continue training other partners, creating a bigger footprint and having more impact.
The equipment will be used by 2nd through 5th graders at SES. According to Bahn, the school will be sharing their skateboarding gear with Traci Martin of Trailblazers Elementary in Charlottesville.
Visit www.FirstPush.org for more information.
