In June, a collection of skateboards created by OCDSB students went on display at Urban Aboriginal High School Program and at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre for a one-night exhibit during the Centre’s Indigenous History Month celebrations. These exhibits capped off months of collaboration between students in the Urban Aboriginal High School Program and Norman Johnston Secondary Alternate Program.
Norman Johnston students, led by teacher Dustin Wenzel, visited their peers at Urban Aboriginal Alternate to demonstrate how to build skateboards. Students from both schools collaborated on hand-painted designs, with support from Urban Aboriginal teachers Celina Cada-Matasawagon and Aaron Bellamy.
They created a total of 35 skateboards, including more than a dozen boards that will be distributed to Indigenous youth in need in Ottawa. This project was made possible by generous funding from the Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre, as well as support from the Odawa Native Friendship Centre and Birling Skateboard Shop.
Photo: Curtis Perry
The students began by gluing and pressing together precut wood, then sanding and sealing the boards to make them ready for painting. They worked on a collaborative design – coming up with different elements and working with local Métis artist Jaime Morse to blend those elements into a striking image.
They shared ideas that were connected to the land and symbolize strength and pride in their Indigenous identities and territories. Their design included the image of a loon, which is familiar to many students and territories; the fireweed flower, which is found across Turtle Island; animals with antlers; water; and fish. Students used stencils and spray paint to print the design on their skateboards, each adding their own unique touch.
The students also created individual skateboards, with their own personalized designs, to keep. These boards reflect the students’ unique interests, ideas, and experiences. Here are a few reflections they shared about the process and meaning behind their designs:
 “When I was making my skateboard there were many obstacles I had to face, such as: not painting something correctly, scratching the paint, or picking the wrong color, but in the end I am happy with the final project.”
Squid on Board by Jacob B.
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 “I came up with the idea for my board after doing some doodling. I had also been looking at different surrealist artists and their pieces which inspired me. I really liked the way these artists took weird, fantasy-like subjects and made them real, so I tried to replicate that feeling with my board.”
All Seeing Snail by Nashlyn M.
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 “There are always gonna be challenges in life such as rough roads and smooth roads. There is one bridge, like how there is one of you crossing.”
Something Roughs by Codie B.
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As students worked on the project, they shared their knowledge, solved challenges, and encouraged one another. The collaboration led to new friendships and meaningful connections between the schools and their local communities.
“It was inspiring to see so many positive interactions between students, our guest artist, and our multiple community partners. The impressive body of work that students produced reflects the depth of exchange that occurred, with students sharing Indigenous cultural knowledge as well as techniques and ideas related to skateboard building and art production. Although it was a big undertaking for staff at Urban Aboriginal and Norman Johnston, it was ultimately a success because we had an exceptional group of students that supported and encouraged each other and were motivated by the goal of helping other youth in the community.” – Dustin Wenzel, Teacher, Norman Johnston Secondary Alternate Program
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