Skate Jam ramp will transform into community art piece once X Games have ended.
In an exciting collaboration with Visit Ventura, students from Buena High School are building a skate ramp for the Ventura Skate Jam, a free all-ages community event to celebrate X Games Ventura on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
This ramp, commissioned by Visit Ventura, designed by Buena High School’s Cabinet Millwork Technologies Capstone class and painted by Buena Art students, will later transform into a community art display after the X Games. “Working with local student talent to help celebrate the X Games coming to Ventura stemmed from the overwhelming success and electric energy of last year’s Skate Jam,” according to Marlyss Auster, President & CEO of Visit Ventura. “Involving local students in the project where they can have a lasting legacy in X Games Ventura 2024 is what the games are all about.” “It’s been awesome to see the students build something of this caliber that professional skateboarders could potentially skate on,” said Visit Ventura Director of Marketing and Buena High School alumni Mike Laan, who led the project with Communications & PR Manager Julie Madsen.
“The ramp is gnarly — we can’t wait to see all their hard work showcased at the Skate Jam.” Mr. Scott Manninen, Woodshop Teacher at Buena High School, expressed his enthusiasm about the project. “I was thrilled when Visit Ventura asked if our students would be interested in designing a skateboard ramp for the Ventura Skate Jam,” Manninen said.
The ramp will be showcased downtown before being moved to the Fairgrounds for the X Games. Manninen collaborated with a team of eight students, some experienced skaters, to design and refine the ramp. Tickets to the X Games will be given to the students involved. One main feature was split in two to become the bow and stern of a boat, turning the ramp into a boat sculpture complete with a bench for photos. The team started with sketches, built a model, proposed a budget, and involved Ms. Nicole Rapattoni and her art class to finalize the design.
Mason Carter, a key student in the project who designed the quarter pipe curve, shared his excitement. “I grew up skating; it’s super cool to be a part of something that beginners and insane skaters will use. It gives me chills to think that a pro may skate something I helped build.” The project provided valuable lessons beyond skating. Logan Torres, aspiring to be an engineer, found it a great introduction to his future field. John Maida highlighted the teamwork and problem-solving involved, stating, “We learned that some tasks are very difficult, and we had to be precise. We needed to find creative ways to solve issues as they came up and fix them together as a team.”
For more information about community events and X Games Ventura, please reach out to Julie Madsen, Visit Ventura Communications & PR Manager at [email protected].
