Hello, my name is Chris O'Brien and I am a health & physical education teacher at Knight Middle School in Louisville, Kentucky. I have been a teacher here for five years and for the last three years I have founded and ran an after-school skateboard club for my students. The club has been a major success locally that includes a viral video showcase from JCPS and appearing on WLKY News.

The goal now is to keep the momentum going and make the club bigger and better. My principal and I have been in talks of building a skatepark AT school in a vacant concrete area in the back of our school. The space is 8,400 square feet and would be the perfect area for students and neighborhood skaters to come learn and develop their skills. Our first goal is to purchase a beginner mini ramp and an intermediate mini ramp, making skateboarding accessible and challenging for students of all experience levels. Two gentlemen from Facebook marketplace have each respective ramps for sale and have agreed to hold them while I try to raise money to purchase them.

Why does this matter to students? Listed below are the many benefits skateboarding has that most are unaware of.

Mental Benefits: Skateboarding teaches resilience. Every fall and every failed trick builds patience, focus, and determination. It’s a personal journey of progress, helping students build confidence and reduce stress and anxiety.

Physical Benefits: Skating is a full-body workout that improves balance, coordination, and cardiovascular health. It keeps students active in a fun, engaging way, outside of traditional team sports.

Social Benefits: Our club brings students together across grade levels and backgrounds. Skateboarding fosters community, creativity, and peer support. With a safe space to skate, students can build positive relationships, mentor each other, and grow together.

I have laid out below my goals for skateboarding in JCPS. Step 1 has been achieved, Steps 2 & 3 are in progress!

Step 1. Create and sustain a skateboard club

Step 2. Build a skatepark at school

Step 3. Help start skate clubs at other JCPS schools

Step 4. Make skateboarding a sanctioned sport in Louisville

Step 5. Make skateboarding a sanctioned sport in Kentucky

Every dollar gets us closer to turning an empty lot into a thriving hub of movement, connection, and creativity.

Thank you for supporting the next generation of skaters — your generosity will roll with us for years to come.