Skate 4185!, a La Maestra Generations youth program, meets every Saturday from 12 to 2 p.m. to pick up litter while skateboarding around the City Heights community. Program participants include Jayden, 12, Angel, 15, Dairani, 10, Kevin, 15, Ishmael, 9, Arthur, 13, Julio, 11, instructor Matt Eaton, Laura, 18, and Nick, 13. | Photo Credit: Beto Soto, The AjA Project
Brent Jensen and Kiran Mehta are high school students and members of The AjA Project’s Youth Advisory Council.
On Saturday afternoons at Skate 4185!, a free youth program at the La Maestra Foundation on Fairmount Avenue, kids utilize their skateboarding prowess to help clean up their neighborhood. Youth from the City Heights area meet at noon every Saturday at the building to fill trash bags with the litter that persistently occupies the streets of their neighborhoods. The program gives them the opportunity to explore their interests, express their individuality and leave a positive impact on the community.
Skate 4185! leader Matt Eaton describes the program as having the opportunity to “redefine the subculture of skateboarding” and “show the community that youth can be positive members of society.”
Matt Eaton, who coordinates youth programs for the La Maestra Foundation and leads Skate 4185!, says he focuses on keeping youth safe, positive and on task. Eaton accompanies his students on their skating excursions and provides encouragement and positive feedback for their dedication and community service, which despite the rubber gloves and dutiful cause, always resembles play. | Photo Credit: Beto Soto, The AjA Project
Youth earn a new skateboard for 10 days of participation in the program. The system of positive reinforcement serves to encourage and reward honest behavior and investment in the program, Eaton said.
Board Rescue, a California nonprofit that provides skateboarding supplies to low-income and at-risk youth, donates the skateboards and skateboard parts to Skate 4185!. SkateWarhouse.com also donates to the program.
Skate 4185! youth members ride skateboards donated by SkateWarehouse.com and Board Rescue while they pick up trash. | Photo Credit: Beto Soto, The AjA Project
In addition to Skate 4185!, the La Maestra Foundation also offers programs for gardening, ceramics, guitar and small engine repair. La Maestra’s free programs are available to both youth and adults in the community and are intended to provide a fun environment for hands-on learning experiences.
“My favorite thing about the program is when the gardening and skateboarding classes start,” said Laura, an 18-year-old City Heights resident. “I love plants and helping the environment, so I spend my Saturdays weeding and picking up trash in the community.” Laura is a member of Skate 4185! who often participates in the program – even though she said she prefers scooters over skateboards.
Laura and the other program participants leave the streets cleaner and greener than before.
Skate 4185! members Ishmael, 9, and Dairani, 10, help keep the City Heights community clean by picking up trash.| Photo Credit: Beto Soto, The AjA Project
“What I like about this program is that you get along with people you don’t know, meet new people and go on field trips,” said Arthur, a 13-year-old City Heights resident and active member of Skate 4185!. “I like when we pick up trash because we set an example for the community. Skating is fun!”
Thirteen-year-old City Heights resident Nick performs a skateboarding trick on a Skate 4185! trip to clean up the streets of his neighborhood. | Photo Credit: Beto Soto, The AjA Project
According to Eaton, the La Maestra Health Center is a separate entity from the Foundation. The Health Center provides low-income residents of City Heights with affordable health care. La Maestra also operates health centers in National City, El Cajon and Lemon Grove. Donations and grants support the La Maestra Foundation and all of the programs offered under its Generations Division. According to Eaton, the money the Foundation receives is sufficient, but the agency expresses a strong desire to become self-sustainable. This is especially important with the recent growing interest and expansion of La Maestra Foundation’s free programs and courses.
Arthur, 13, says he likes “when we pick up trash because I’m setting an example for the community. Skating is fun!” | Photo Credit: Kiran Mehta, The AjA Project
In addition to leading Skate 4185! and other after school programs at the Foundation, Eaton facilitates the La Maestra Community Garden and the La Maestra Blossoms program, which creates contracts with women whose local flower stands need money to be sustained.
The Community Garden, only a few buildings down from the Foundation, occupies an area of a two-story transitional housing structure where homeless and underprivileged people seek temporary shelter. The garden is eager to rent plots to members of the community who would like to have a safe and fertile place to grow produce.
After a day of skateboarding and beautifying the community, members of Skate 4185! gather in the game room of the La Maestra Foundation to relax and enjoy some free time. | Photo Credit: Beto Soto
“Anyone interested in our programs are welcome to join at any time,” said Eaton. “If you need skateboard parts, come find me!”
