Gathering during lunchtimes, school breaks and weekends, a group of high school students hope to bring a new program to their school.
Students at Wheat Ridge High School, with the support of two teachers, are drumming up money and support to bring the Gone Boarding educational program to their school. The program teaches students to design, build and ride boards.
The group would welcome students who are seasoned in board sports and those who hope the program will bring them the opportunity to experience board sports for the first time.
“I’ve never had a chance to go skiing or snowboarding,” said student Ryker Urbont. “I have a feeling it’s going to be an amazing class. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Urbont joined the Gone Boarding efforts in part because of Urbont’s positive experiences in classes taught by Burke Edgar and Teegan Meyers at the high school. Teachers Meyers and Burke lead efforts, alongside the students, to bring Gone Boarding to their high school.
Students at the school skateboard more than students at other schools—in part because of its proximity to Discovery Board Park, where some students spend their lunch period, according to student Anakin Scheid, who is heavily involved in skate culture.
“As soon as I could walk, I was on the slopes,” Scheid said. “I think a lot of people will benefit from having this accessibility to this sport that they might not otherwise have.”
Edgar recruited student Greta Gruenhagen’s help with starting the program. Gruenhagen’s father works in the snowboard and skiing industry.
“I’ve had a lot of access to that my whole life,” Gruenhagen said. “I feel so lucky to have that access. I want to share it with other people who don’t get as much access as I do.”
The students involved in starting the program are aware of the school’s declining enrollment.
“If we’re being fully transparent, I would say that people would generally not choose Wheat Ridge High School as their first choice,” Gruenhagen said. “They would go to the bigger schools. If people decided to not just see the numbers, they would realize how good of a school Wheat Ridge is, and how amazing our community is, and how many more opportunities we’re giving. This program will definitely help it become more known.”
Some students working on getting the program launched at the school will graduate before it becomes a class.
“I joined this club because I thought it was a really cool way to make Wheat Ridge stand out with other Jeffco high schools,” said student Paisley Winter.
Scheid remembers building items like little cars in shop class at Everett Middle School and thinks students would benefit from an opportunity to use the shop again once in their high school years.
“I joined this class because I do not like the traditional classroom environment,” said student Jenna Johnson. “I really like the hands-on. My brain is always going a hundred directions. It’s easier for me to be constantly doing something. It’s a really good break from the school day.”
Recently the students raised $12,000 of their $30,000 fundraising goal during one community outreach night. Students are learning the difference in presenting to local charitable organizations and the general community, they said.
“I know I’ve spent time at home practicing my lines, revising my scripts,” Urbont said. We’ve put in a lot of effort and our willingness to keep doing it. It shows how much we believe in it. If you were going to come in outside of school, you’d think that it’s something that you want to do, which is the whole reason I’m here. I really believe in it. I wouldn’t be putting in all this extra time if I didn’t.”
For the students, boarding and outdoor recreation is synonymous with the Colorado experience.
“We’re trying to build this program for a multitude of reasons,” said student Gabriel Wartman. “Culture and community is one of the more significant reasons, in my opinion. We’re trying to build a greater sense of community in our school and in the city as a whole.”
For some students it will be their first time visiting ski and snowboarding slopes or engaging in outdoor recreation with their school peers.
“I think board sports are important because it’s another way for students to bond with each other,” Johnson said. “It’s important that everybody can get along in a classroom, but also outside of a classroom. With this program, we will be taking field trips to slopes and parks. If we’re able to all bond together and connect as friends, it can build a really good community that not all students have at Wheat Ridge.”
For students like Elias Wentorflantz, boarding might have broader impacts beyond access to a fun sport.
“I think it’s also a super big part of Colorado culture in general,” Wentorflantz said. “With climate change going on, I think awareness has to be spread, so people will start caring more.”
Mental health is also a big reason Scheid finds comfort in board sports and its culture.
“Mental health is also a big thing,” Scheid said. “I’ve struggled with my mental health in the past, and going outside and skateboarding has significantly improved it. And believe it or not, I’m a lot happier when I’m skateboarding. It’s just a getaway. It’s really fun. I don’t think I know anyone at the school that hates skateboarding or snowboarding.”
Community members are welcome at the next fundraising event. Please visit wrhsgoneboarding.wixsite.com/wrhsgb for more information.
