With over 100 clubs, Staples High School is home to a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including the Staples Skate Club.

Although skateboarding is not permitted on campus, the club aims to provide a platform for students interested in skateboarding to explore their passion.

From organizing fundraising concerts for skate park renovations to planning public skateboarding events with snacks and music, the club offers a range of activities.

Skateboarding, originating in 1958, is built on individuality, self-expression, and risk.

Skateboarding contrasts organized sports with minimal parental supervision, high physical risk, and no mandatory rules, allowing users to skate freely.

D.I.Y. culture in skateboarding emphasizes a socially democratic enterprise, where individuals construct unique styles, practices, and identities.

Space is crucial in skateboarding culture, with skateparks and skate "spots" being distinct areas; negative reactions from authorities contribute to the stigma.

Understanding skateboarding culture could foster better relationships between adults, politicians, and scholars with young people.

Graham Bradley estimates 12 to 20 million skateboarders in the United States, showcasing the widespread appeal of the subculture.

Techniques used include direct observation, participant observation, and interviews.

The absence of well-defined rules in skateboarding highlights the values of risk and freedom associated with the skating subculture.

Autonomy in choosing tricks and encouraging experimentation emphasizes the importance of risk-taking and trying new things in skateboarding.

Skaters follow specific routes with tricks, underlines the significance of perseverance and determination as well as encouragement.

The Staples Skate Club's struggle for recognition as an official school club highlights the clash with authority and the negative stereotypes associated with skateboarding.

The club provides a supportive community reinforcing rebellion, risk-taking, and freedom associated with skateboarding culture.

Interpretivism argues that reality is subjective and socially constructed.

People's reality is created through individual experiences shaped by historical and social perspectives.

Even though skateboarding is just an activity for me, it represent something more for members of the club.

Skateboarding serves as something unique for them: an escape from daily chaos, making problems momentarily disappear.

Interpretivism emphasizes the importance of having nonjudgmental attitudes.

Understanding diverse perspectives may potentially repair strained relationships and power dynamics between skaters and authority figures.

Pierre Bourdieu focused on culture, power, and social class.

Cultural capital: knowledge, skills, behaviors valued by society

Acquisition of cultural capital through skateboarding practice

Positive cycle: learning new tricks, advancing as a club, enhancing cultural capital

Learning new tricks contributes to knowledge and skills valued by skateboarding subculture

Hierarchy of skill and knowledge

Experienced skaters act as mentors and role models

Sense of community and shared purpose in advancing cultural capital of the club

My hypothesis was correct.

The Staples Skate Club follows traditional values to a slightly lesser extent due to administration rules.

The club emphasizes acceptance, perseverance, and encouragement.

The club serves as a platform for students to express themselves freely.

The administration should be more open-minded towards skateboarding and recognize its importance.

The Staples Skate Club is more than a group of "skaters" or "rebels" and fosters essential values for young individuals.

The Staples Skate Club definitely is similar to the skating subculture in that in values rebellion, freedom, and risk.

However, I also found that the club values other things like perseverance, encouragement, determination, and kindness.

Skateboarding has a negative stigma, this can be found in Staples High School.

Skateboarding stereotypes are prevalent in mainstream society as well as in Staples.

School Administration see the activity as dangerous and a liability.