The one class I regret not taking through high school was some sort of wood working/shop class. I guess younger me was convinced I didn’t have time. If my school offered something like the classes hosted by Gone Boarding, however, I’m pretty confident I would have been one of the first to sign up.
22 schools across the United States have started classes with the Gone Boarding curriculum, teaching students about a multitude of topics through board sports. Students work with their peers to design, build and, of course, learn how to ride a bunch of different board options, including snowboards, surfboards, longboards, and much more.
The program boasts an education focused on engineering, marketing, communications, physical education, business, mathematics, industrial arts, design, and wood shop. According to the program’s website, schools are using Gone Boarding to fill credits pertaining to math, physical education, visual/applied arts, science, CTE, and general electives.
All materials necessary to run the class are provided by the organization. A dedicated woodshop space isn’t even necessary to run the program, just space. One teacher willing participate in some training and help students through the program, as well as some excited students, is all a school really needs.
Gone Boarding is supported by a boat load of wicked cool sponsors, including Vans, GoPro, Burton, and Orangatang. If you’re a school administrator or a teacher interested in bringing the program to your school, you can sign up to learn more here. Seriously, if you’re a school administrator, you should look into this stuff. I know there would be a ton of students who would love taking a class like this.
Image Credit: Gone Boarding via Facebook