YAB 2009 Skate Jam Rewind

Best Trick Contest

Friends of Deckers Creek Youth Advisory Board (YAB) hosted the 3rd annual Skate Jam in honor of FLOW Day of Service and Earth Day on April 26, 2009 at Marilla Park’s Skate Park facility in Morgantown, WV. YAB members and volunteers from WVU and Preston High’s Health Science & Technology Academy led acid mine drainage tie-dyes, macroinvertebrate displays, and a GPS scavenger hunt around the park for community members. Kids could also play in the bounce house and take a turn dunking YAB members and volunteers in the dunk tank. Local youth band, Looking Down the Cross, got everyone pumped for the skate contests with their hardcore heavy metal. The S.K.A.T.E. (like H.O.R.S.E.) contest began at 12 noon and over 125 youth participated! Local skate shop, The Boarding House, organized the contests and provided hundreds of dollars of prizes and giveaways including a new skateboard deck. Following the S.K.A.T.E. contest was the “Best Trick” contest (photo at right). During the contests, YAB’s own Evan Lintz performed with his band, Alex Cruz and Friends, rocking out covers by Sublime, Tom Petty, and Bill Withers. The WV Raptor Center stopped by in between bands to show off Screech, their new screech owl. YAB feels the event was a success, and extends sincere thanks to everyone involved especially Morgantown’s Board of Parks and Recreation for their staff support. YAB hosts the Skate Jam to raise awareness of FODC, YAB, and the challenges facing the Deckers Creek watershed in addition to celebrating area youth for using alternative means of transportation.