Hats off to the Oasis Skateboard Factory!!!
OSF - June 17, 2026 - Toronto, ON, Canada
Ted and I were there to witness the graduation event of this super-creative alternative high school in downtown Toronto.
The room was filled with family, friends, former students, teachers, administrators and of course the students. The end of their high school journey was within hours and the excitement was building. Each graduating student stood behind a table showing off the personal brand they worked on throughout their time at OSF.
To graduate this school, students are tasked with some soul-searching to discover the essence of their personality. Then, that is translated into graphic representations that are applied to skateboards and supporting merchandise. We saw marvelous designs on their custom-made skateboards, screen-printed onto t-shirts and hoodies, there were also buttons, stickers and hats.
At OSF, creating personal brands on custom-made skateboards is the educational tool that makes compulsory topics into credit-recovery success. 14 students graduated this year, one even winning a Governor General’s award! Other awards included retired founder Craig Morrison’s “Get on Board” award and Roarockit’s annual “Board Builder of the Year” award.
Teachers Lauren and Erin “roasted” each student as they came up to receive their “Patch”, an alternative to the usual paper diploma. The vibe was as humorous as it was accurate as everyone was in on the jokes.
As providers of the method and materials for skateboard building, Roarockit is proud of every student’s graduation. What these students create, using our method and materials, is truly amazing! While some might never have completed high school, the program at Oasis Skateboard Factory inspires them and helps them discover their true potential. I spoke with students about their future plans. Most had definite goals, either taking further education, or finding employment in the workforce.
Again, hats off to the Oasis Skateboard Factory!!!
Norah Jackson,
Roarockit Skateboard Company