The two skateboarders with Untitled Skateboards did clear the three teachers during their performance Thursday morning, causing students to cheer and roar with applause.
And even though there is a “no skateboarding” sign prominently posted next to the school’s front door, the group was invited to not only display their tricks that get the audience’s attention, but also their message — to stay in school, pursue your dreams and know that your decisions now can change your life.
Events like the one held at Scribner Middle School are a win-win. Skateboarding is presented in front of school officials as something that doesn’t need to be feared or belittled, and that puts the kids at ease. And to have a group perform plus give kids some solid advice about staying on the right path means they’re more likely to accept it, because they admire skaters.
A hornet’s sting brought down pioneer skateboarding legend Andy Kessler yesterday in Montauk, Long Island NY.
Kessler was an original member of the Zoo York Crew and was featured in Deathbowl to Downtown, the evolution of skating in New York. A clip can be seen below.
He was salty and hard boiled like a true New Yorker should be but he was also the first guy to help someone out. I don’t mean that as a cliche like when someone dies they were all of a sudden a saint- no- Kess really helped people out. He was a sponsor to people trying to kick drugs or drinking, (he was clean and sober for years and years and then one day he quit drinking coffee and smoking cigs to boot!), he built skateparks, went to community meeting and generally tried to make New York a better place to live.
Images speak louder than words ever could. This image of normalcy in war torn Afghanistan is so promising.
The above image was taken from the LA Times, who have a full slideshow showing kids skating and enjoying themselves despite the stress their country has endured.
I was on twitter (username @energyspray) when I saw a link about the Skateboard Film Fest in Seattle, WA, August 14-15.
From their website About page:
The Skateboard Film Festival is a collaborative effort by some of the industry’s most respected entrepreneurs, filmmakers, photographers, and skateboarders. It was brought about to promote independent film making in the skateboard community at large. It is open to the entire public by way of video submissions, and there will be several categories by which each film maker can submit his or her video short or full-length movie. Videos are carefully selected by a panel of judges and some 40-60 will be shown during the film festival weekend.
Films will be screened at the Siff Cinema in Seattle, and events will take place in local parks. Tickets are not yet on sale, but keep checking their website for details.
