Get on Board Project

Project Description

We launched the ‘Get on Board’ project in 2022 with the simple goal of getting more kids on skateboards, regardless of their financial means. Since then we have given out 841+ high-quality, complete skateboards and helmets to kids in the Des Moines area, a retail value of over $125,000. This project helps us activate a unique community asset, the Lauridsen Skatepark, as a hub for healthy activities for Des Moines youth. Although skateboarding is a sport with a low barrier to entry (about $150), we know that not all youth can access equipment and as a result, many miss out on the multiple benefits. In 2024 we plan to give out equipment to at least 500 kids. To be eligible for this project in 2024, kids must: • Be enrolled in school in Polk, Dallas, or Warren county in grades K-8, • Complete an online application or take part in one of our after-school programs. WHAT THE FUNDS WOULD PURCHASE The request funds would be used to purchase equipment, specifically skateboards and helmets. We are currently working with Subsect Skate Shop and national skateboard and helmet distributors that represent several skateboard manufacturers and the leading safety equipment manufacturers. We can get a volume discount if we can commit to ordering 375 skateboards and 425 helmets in 2024, the estimated cost would be $25,000. That equates to roughly $30 per complete skateboard and $30 per helmet, a price point well below the average retail cost of $147 for the set. Note that if we are not able to commit to this number, the cost could increase per unit. NEEDS STATEMENT Recent studies have shown some 30% of schoolchildren are overweight, with a one-in-three chance of developing diabetes. Studies also show that children spend an average of 5.5 hours a day in front of a screen – television, computer, or handheld device. Face-to-face communication with peers is decreasing. Skateboarding can be a positive solution to these and other challenges kids today face. Skateboarding is good for physical health; it gets kids off the couch and outside. Skateboarding can provide a cardio workout that provides more physical activity than an organized sport like baseball. Skateboarding is good for a child’s mental health because it combines extreme physical exertion with precise muscle coordination and balance. The complexity of performing tricks on a skateboard improves brain function at a fundamental level and stimulates new cell growth in the brain. And Skateboarding improves social skills and encourages personal interactions. Skateboarding also teaches important life lessons such as perseverance and determination. To progress, skaters must be willing to put in the work. Skaters learn quickly that the key to success is a willingness to fail and fall, but also the determination to get back up and try again, and again, and again. Skateboarding is a sport that youth can participate in on their schedule. There are no organized practices, and it doesn’t require a team. During the pandemic, participation in “board sports” (Skateboarding, Snowboarding, and Surfing) were the among the fastest-growing sports in the United States. With skateboarding’s debut in the Olympics and the completion of the world-class Lauridsen Skatepark, skateboarding has seen an explosion of interest in Des Moines. We want to capitalize on this moment to introduce kids to skateboarding. A 2020 study showed that 20% of all skateboarding injuries are to the head, with a higher proportion of those head injuries occur to skateboarders under the age of 10. In addition to providing a high-quality complete skateboard, we believe it is important to give every youth a helmet that will protect them against these injuries. As part of the onboarding process youth are required to sign a promissory note stating that they will wear their helmet every time they ride their skateboard. We hope to start these youth out on the correct path and set an example for older skaters. The barrier to entry is low, but unfortunately it can still be too much for too many kids in our community. The Get on Board project seeks to remove that barrier entirely so that more kids have an opportunity to try skateboarding and realize the many benefits that come with it. When we announced the program in 2022, we were unsure what the response would be. We received over 1700 eligible applications and enrolled an additional 393 kids in our after-school programs, clearly demonstrating that the need and desire is there. Now we just need to fulfill that demand before interest diminishes.