Tired of getting to class at 9 AM? Teacher won't let you take a smoke break? Can't cook your own grilled cheese during English class? There isn't a skatepark outside your classroom? These are just some of the complaints that students of the Oasis Alternative Skateboard School are not bringing up.

Started by the stencil graffiti teacher, Craig Morrison, Toronto's first "Skateboard School" is now in full effect and offers classes that are taught through the lens of skateboarding and street art. Although located steps from the Dun-Bat skate park, Oasis isn't a school for X-Games wannabe skateboarders; rather it builds a community around skating and art to re-engage students with education using real-world experience. The positive influence this has had on many students has literally been life-changing, from students now interacting with local entrepreneurs, designing and building their own skateboards, creating and publishing skate ‘zines, and even making money off some of their own projects.

Craig Morrison (that's Craig to you, not "Mr. Morrison") gave us the back story about this life-altering project, the introduction of the "slo-skate movement," and using D.I.Y. principles to rid skateboarding of its negative public image. Read below, get inspired and get involved.

Craig Morrison shaping minds.

Lets start from the beginning here. How did your past contribute to creating Toronto's first alternative skateboard school?
I have a background and interest in all forms of street art and how these can promote positive social change, which is what I studied at university at the now defunct New College of California that was an "alternative" university in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood. When I started teaching in the Toronto District School Board 13 years ago, I naturally sought out the alternative school system for both myself and daughter... she has been attending alternative schools since kindergarten and now she is in an alternative high school. We are really lucky that in Toronto, alternatives are part of public education and are free and accessible and put an emphasis on engaging youth with the interests they bring. In all my teaching work with so called "at-risk youth", I have wanted to find ways to re-engage them in learning and the best ways I have found is through the arts and connecting them into the community. Many students I have worked with over the years have fallen through the cracks in the mainstream educational system, feel alienated and disengaged, but in a different setting with an art focus they are stars!

All the work my students did in the Arts and Social Change Program -- which I helped start at Oasis Alternative School -- was meant to be put out there into the community; I really don't like the idea of students working on all this stuff in school and it just gets put away in some file and forgotten. When I first thought of making skateboards in school after meeting Norah and Ted of Roarockit Skateboard Company -- who innovated a method to build boards by hand without the traditional woodshop machinery that small schools don't have -- I was only thinking of skateboards as a vehicle for art and graphics. After running a skateboard design class as part of the Oasis school program for three years, I realized that these skateboards could be a vehicle for so much more; not only the student's art but a way to build community and give the students a real-world experience that they value.

The classroom.

That is how I came to the point of expanding into what I am doing now as the first school site in the Toronto district fully dedicated to offering all subjects with a skateboard and street art focus. The Oasis Skateboard Factory helps students earn compulsory & elective high-school credits over one or two semesters by running a social justice and community-focused entrepreneurial business where they learn hands-on to build skateboards, design original custom graphics, work with local artists and community partners, market and display their work and receive an honorarium for their work.

Students love getting credits for all this, and also getting some money, and it really motivates them to attend school... they tell me it is also fun and brag to their friend in other schools! Every time I tell people what I do, I start to laugh...

Work in progress.

When a parent asks you, "But is this real school?" How do you respond?
Students are earning four high school credits each semester, which is the same as a regular school, and I am still teaching the stuff you have to learn in say, business class, except I am trying to expose the students to other young entrepreneurs to inspire their own future career plans. Many of my students aren't going to be happy being an employee of someone else and would be better off working with their strengths... I get them to dream big and show them examples of people who have made their own dreams reality, from building a skatepark, to running a café or small independent business, to screenprinting or other art related businesses.

Another example is in English class, where we still build the skills students need, but our culminating project is a skateboard magazine that the students are totally hyped about. In terms of the schedule, half of our time is art focused, and in Toronto the culture industry is a major sector in our economy. Basically, this program is supporting at-risk youth to stay in school, earn credits and develop transferable creative, employment and entrepreneurial skills. I am sure some of my students would say Oasis is more real than school.

Homework on display.

The program has a unique schedule, from a later start to lunches in class... how does this tie in with the program?
Well, you know there is all this research into the "teenage brain", but another reality is that my students travel for up to an hour on TTC from all over Toronto to get here. Most of my students were constant skippers or "non-attenders" in their previous school, and felt hassled about being late, but I am happy that they choose to come every day. Oasis is sort of like the old one-room school house, in that students all have diverse backgrounds and academic levels. For the time they are with me each day, we focus intensely on our projects and I try to promote a safe space with high expectations of hard work and professionalism... there's not a lot of space or time to get into trouble! Graffiti and skateboarding are both youth activities that have been criminalized, and I see my job in a school setting to redirect these interests in a positive safe way that give the students the opportunity for adults and other members of the community to be impressed and proud of them.

Student screen work.

Do students call you Craig or Mr. Morrison?
Definitely "Craig". I never let students get away with calling me "sir". Some people think this shows respect, but I think this is a way to distance themselves... I have a name, and alternative schools have always promoted non-authoritarian relationships.

Developing this program must have taken years of effort. Personally, what is the most rewarding aspect to this program you created? Any real success stories so far?
Well, testimonials on our blog will give you a sense of what students like about working with me in skateboard design class, but now that we've expanded into a whole focus school program, I am getting students handing in a lot of work in all subject areas. This really surprises them compared to what they have done in the past. It is mid-terms right now and a lot of my students are on track with getting their credits, which is an incredible success so far. A thing I am super proud of, and something I want to promote, is the involvement of young women. Graffiti and skateboarding can be so male dominated, but so far I have six young women in my program and they rock!

Some mocked up Manic Coffee decks.

How involved has the local skateboard community been with Oasis?
The students got a hands-on demo grinding beans, brewing siphon coffee and a tasting with award-winning barista Sam James the other day. Sam talked about his experiences skateboarding, starting an entrepreneurial business -- Sam James Coffee Bar-- latte art and compared the science of the vacuum pot to our vacuum bags that we use in the skateboard shaping process. We are really excited to build him a custom-designed skateboard as one of our first sponsors of the school year. Other guest entrepreneurs so far this year have included CJ Skatepark, local artists and comic book illustrators, and we have visited Josh at Sleeping Giant Gallery a couple of times. A student told me he learned more relevant stuff from Josh in those visits about working towards your personal goals, and the experience of running a small business/skateboard art gallery, than anything he learned in all his years of school before coming to Oasis.

Did you have one of these by the copier in your school?

Anything else you would like to get out to the Canadian skateboarding public?
It's great to be part of a moment when skateboards aren't immediately thought of as a negative thing... there is more public support for skateparks, etcetera. A big thing we are promoting is the idea of a "slow-skate movement" -- picking up on ideas from the slow food movement -- focusing on building community through skateboards. If you share these values, get involved! I am only one person and my students really benefit from connecting to a range of experienced people who can be guests in our classroom, mentor them in the community or sponsor a skateboard. You can reach us through info on our website.

http://oasisskateboardfactory.blogspot.com.

Check out more info on Oasis in this recent write-up on the National Post.