Forget Build-A-Bear: Lander Students Can Build a Skateboard and Important Life Skills At the Same Time

While Lander students with behavioral needs often struggle in a traditional, indoor school setting, one thing many of them are passionate about is skateboarding. Recognizing this passion as a motivation to learn and a potential path toward developing skills in delayed gratification and self-regulation, one Lander special education teacher came up with a creative idea: Launch a skate shop program at Lander Middle School, where students will earn parts of a skateboard for meeting specific behavior goals, build a full skateboard over time, and get time outside in the skate park across the street. Not only is skateboarding an outdoor physical activity that helps in self-regulation, but the building of the boards from their own designs gives students a sense of ownership and some new, practical skills. With all of these benefits in mind, the teacher reached out to LOR for help. LOR’s funding will help cover the cost of the equipment needed to build 15 skateboards.