Gone Boarding was created to address student disengagement. Bill Curtis, a teacher, noticed students becoming disconnected from learning and feeling that school lacked relevance. He decided to meet students where they were by asking them what they cared about and discovering their passion for action sports. From this student-driven insight, Gone Boarding was born—breaking traditional education boundaries and bringing board sports into the classroom to make learning hands-on, relevant, and fully centered around students’ interests.
Gone Boarding combines multiple disciplines in one class as students move through the full product design lifecycle of building a board. They collaborate with peers to design and create a board of their choice, engage with industry leaders in the action sports world, and leave with a tangible, lifelong product. The program can be integrated into a variety of credit-bearing pathways, making learning hands-on, relevant, and directly connected to students’ interests.
Gone Boarding began in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a few years in, Bill Curtis recognized its potential to impact students nationwide. The program initially spread by word of mouth due to the powerful effect it was having on schools. Since then, it has expanded to 42 schools across 9 states, positively influencing school culture and creating lasting impacts on students’ lives.
Gone Boarding has always been student-driven, evolving as students discover new opportunities and pursue them. We have expanded the program by partnering with leaders in the action sports industry, providing students with hands-on career exposure and connecting their learning to real-world pathways.
Visit goneboardingedu.com or send us a message at info@goneboardingedu.com. We’d love to connect with you and explore the opportunities Gone Boarding could bring to your students!
