Six Port Colborne High School students received a kick start in deck building at RoarRockit Skateboard Company in Toronto on Tuesday. RoarRockit programme facilitator, Marcel Dinonne, demonstrated the principles, process, and maintenance of the patented vacuum air press technology required for each student to press their own street and longboard decks. They were then joined by Oasis School students, Claudinne Rocha and Alyssa Zimmerman, who shared samples of their own work and demonstrated media techniques for graphics. Art teacher, Ms. Mayne, invested in deck presses from RoarRockit last year but organized the field trip in order to develop the deck building programme. Like the students from the Oasis School in Toronto, Port High students in Construction, Manufacturing, and Visual Arts High Skills Major programmes acquire curriculum based skill sets as well as leadership opportunities. Students from grades nine through eleven, with interests ranging from deck builds, graphics, and skating, were selected to attend the kick start training. Zach Bury, Phelan Collins, Brian Busch, Brady Ursacki, Kyle Novak, and Daryl Stewart all returned home with a pressed deck, new skills, and the leadership opportunity to instruct and mentor the next generation of Blue Bear skateboard builders. Stay tuned for the 360 when our first generation decks are transformed into sleek, skateable boards, and the Port High skateboard shop spins into full production.
Brian Busch, Zach Bury, Alyssa Zimmerman, Daryl Stewart, Dawn Mayne, Kyle Novak, Claudinne Rocha, Brady Ursacki, Phelan Collins, and Marcel Dionne.