Some of the most helpful skills that I learned during my Gone Boarding experience werev how to manage my own time and be productive without someone monitoring me. While I am always continuing to improve these skills, this class was the only one in my high school that gave me control over my education and put the responsibility of a project upon my shoulders. The class also taught me how to fail and then learn from these failures in an iterative process that I have been able to apply to other domains of my life. My experience within Gone Boarding has also given me the opportunity to visit with industry leading action sports companies and learn about their individual missions and identities.

Since graduating, I was able to gain experience running events for Gone Boarding and working alongside local partners and Vans to create an inviting atmosphere for the community. These are experiences that I hold close to my heart and carry a value beyond just another item I could put on my resume. I am currently taking a college course that has a teaching philosophy similar to Gone Boarding’s and it is something that I have been looking for since I graduated high school. I doubt I would have the confidence to enroll in a class like this one if I have not taken Gone Boarding. On a more personal note, my Gone Boarding experience taught me how to pursue what I valued and not compromise who I am for others expectations.