For those with a love of skateboarding and building things in general, an exciting new concrete skatepark concept took flight this past school year involving sixth grade students at La Mesa Arts Academy (LMAAC).

The project involved LMAAC students, the local Skate4Concrete initiative and The Skatepark Project.

Developed by the non-profit organization Project Cornerstone as part of its Skate4Concrete initiative, this educational unit offers students an opportunity to engage in a hands-on-way in design and construction.

Students in Rebecca Orvell’s (pictured above) sixth-grade class were the first to test a new educational unit in skatepark construction.

According to Orvell, a math and science teacher, more than 70 students from two classes worked on the project for three months. More than 90% of Orvell’s science class stated this initiative was their favorite project to work on during the school year.

This type of construction project is set to expand to various schools across the nation. The Skatepark Project allowed different organizations to come together organically. The end result connects the community together via the science of concrete and its unique relationship to skating.

The project was conceived by San Diego resident and Project Cornerstone Executive Director Crystal Howard. She was charged with spearheading a collaborative effort to overcome a notable shortage of workers.

The goal is to educate young people to an array of career possibilities involving concrete when they are older. Among the possible projects for some of them down the road would be constructing mini-skateparks.

“Students began by learning the difference between concrete and cement,” Orvell stated. “Next, they learned the ingredients for making concrete and that an exothermic, chemical reaction occurs during the process. They participated in some hands-on learning and relied on their understanding of ratios, percentages, and other mathematical operations to determine the best aggregates for creating concrete. They formed models from their concrete samples and analyzed failure points in order to improve on their designs.”

After learning how to make concrete, they had a Zoom visit from Howard.

“She (Howard) and Roy Cornett with Superior Ready Mix provided all of the supplies and materials for this project. Howard presented a slide show about the plethora of jobs in the concrete industry. Students then learned about skateparks, from design, their benefits as community parks, and the process for creating community skateparks.”

The students were visited via Zoom by Andre Taylor, a designer with the Skatepark Project (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation). Following the presentation, students could ask questions of Taylor. This was to help them build knowledge before designing their own parks. From there, students had a chance to go on a field trip to the site of a planned renovated community park at the corner of Waite Drive and Murray Hill Road.

“There they learned the long, involved process for a community park design,” Orvell remarked. “They then sketched individual park designs. Students then negotiated in teams of three to four to create their final team design. The project ended with students building concrete skateparks and sharing their products with the class.”

Participants were eager to work on project

Another LMAAC employee with a big hand in the project was instruction and data support teacher Richard Santer.

According to Santer, this project got off the ground when he approached Orvell about working together on a unit.

“Ms. Orvell is really in to teaching science in a hands-on way, where students experience the science rather than reading about it, which I wholeheartedly support,” Santer commented. “In our first meeting, she asked if I could help find a cool activity we could use to introduce concrete.” While attending a touch-a-truck event, Santer connected with Howard and the rest, as they say, is history.

It was Howard who lent the LMAAC teachers and students involved in the project the equipment necessary to get the job done.

“The resources Ms. Howard sent us included a really cool culminating activity where students built a skatepark out of concrete,” Santer added. “We (Orvell) both understood that building an actual skatepark was unrealistic, especially in our time frame, but if we could show our students as much of the process as possible, that would be amazing.”

Rachel Williams is director of communications and marketing for The Skatepark Project.

“The Skatepark Project (TSP) was approached by one of the teachers to participate by providing useful information to students and staff about skateparks and community advocacy,” Williams commented. “TSP’s skatepark best practices is a useful resource for students, community members and municipalities that can be used as a tool and information hub to learn more about getting a skatepark built within your town.”

Williams added the project supports students to learn civic engagement and how to get involved and/or advocate for something to serve not only their immediate community, but many more generations down the road.

“This project gives students a chance to be part of something bigger that will benefit youth, community members and encourage healthy outdoor recreation,” Williams remarked. added.

To date, The Skatepark Project’s grant programs have awarded more than $10 million to help fund close to 700 public skateparks nationwide, enjoyed by some six million people annually.

One LMAAC student influenced by the project is sixth-grader Claire Peters.

According to Peters, she most liked the interactive nature involved.

“It wasn’t just typing on a chrome book or writing on paper,” Peters commented. “We got to create models and designs and meet people. It’s not as easy as you think building a skatepark would be. There are rules you have to follow and design aspects you have to consider.”

Peters, who said she would like to be a defense attorney one day, said she enjoys skateboarding as a hobby.

“I like the freeness of it – how there’s really no rules about how to do it,” Peters remarked.

With Peters but one of many students learning about skatepark construction, many students could be building exciting careers down the road.

“Project Cornerstone is a local non-profit and our mission is to educate students about how construction materials like concrete play a role in our communities as well as inform them of the amazing job opportunities that are available,” Howard commented. “We want to bust the myth that you have to get a four-year degree to have a high-paying career. The construction and concrete industry has a wide variety of career opportunities available that do not require a college degree and pay a competitive wage.”

Howard noted that in support of the company’s mission, “We help and attend the Touch-a-Truck event. This is an amazing opportunity for families to interact with the construction industry,” Howard continued. “Project Cornerstone has a booth each year where kids can make their own concrete projects for free. It was this event that I met Mr. Richard Santer (teacher in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and project coordinator). After he saw the concrete project, he asked if it would be okay to incorporate it into his class at LMAAC. Project Cornerstone had recently completed creating a concrete certification course as part of our Skate4Concrete initiative and we were looking for schools to beta test the course. Mr. Santer was excited to give it a try.”

According to Howard, Project Cornerstone’s concrete certification course uses the application of constructing concrete skateparks as a way to help students learn about the science of concrete.

“Tying the education to skating has proven to make it more exciting for students to learn because it makes it relevant,” Howard stated. “They can learn more easily because it gives them a fun application and students can learn about the different jobs that are available that are required to build a skatepark. Connecting skating with concrete makes learning fun and exciting for the students.”

Project Cornerstone’s online concrete certification course is available to schools and there is also a homeschooling version.

“We are in the process of beta testing until the end of 2022,” Howard added. “We would encourage other schools to reach out if they want to incorporate, give it a try and help us improve it.”

As Santer sees it, the students involved in the skatepark project benefitted greatly from this opportunity.

“Our students were afforded a lot of opportunities to make learning real, and give it purpose in this project,” Santer stated. “They also experienced things I don’t think they would have in a traditional unit on the Earth’s surface. They learned about jobs in the field of concrete, as well as in our local city. They had the opportunity to voice opinions, and learned ways to take an active role in their local government. They also got to be scientists. These are the kinds of things students remember, and really make an impact on students.”

Santer added that he hopes more projects like this are in the pipeline for LMAAC students and teachers.

“I hope to be able to do more projects like this, where we make the learning real, and show students that they can do important work, it is not just for adults. I hope to spread project-based learning as an instructional strategy here at LMAAC, but also throughout the entire La Mesa Spring Valley School District,” Santer remarked.

Para más información visite: Skate4Concrete.com.

– Reach editor Dave Thomas at: [email protected].