When the doors of Benjamin O. Davis High School closed for the first time this fall, senior Juls Pippenger stepped forward to keep the school’s skate club rolling. “All right, circle up,” Pippenger said, gathering a mixed group of students in the front parking lot for the club’s inaugural meeting of the year.
Student‑led continuity after district consolidation
Last school year, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) combined the two separate Davis campuses—Digital Arts and Davis Aerospace & Maritime—into a single high school. The merger also moved longtime faculty sponsor Dave Shaheen to another school, leaving the club without an adult overseer. Rather than let the program fade, students elected to run it themselves.
Shaheen, who founded the club three years ago as a way to connect with his students, praised the impact it has had. “My favorite part was seeing the kids grow from it. The confidence they gained from skateboarding started to translate into the classroom,” he said.
New leadership, same mission
Pippenger, who spent the summer coaching at a nearby skate park, is now filling Shaheen’s shoes. He isn’t nervous; he’s focused on keeping the club organized and welcoming. The first meeting was structured by ability level, allowing experienced skaters to practice ollies while beginners worked on balance on a smoother stretch of the lot.
“It’s going to be a little bit different. [Shaheen] handled photography and field trips. I’m trying to take us to North Coast Yard for a skate session,” Pippenger explained.
Community support keeps wheels turning
Local nonprofit Advocate SkateWorks has been a key partner, providing equipment and helping Shaheen distribute roughly 75 skateboards since the club’s inception. When Shaheen learned he would be transferred, he turned to Pippenger, noting the student’s dedication: “He’s volunteered so much it was natural to ask him to keep the program going.”
Students from both former campuses have embraced the club. “We were always friends with the Digital kids,” senior Josh Dannison said, noting that the merger never disrupted the camaraderie on the board.
Challenges and resilience
Injuries are part of the learning curve. Sophomore Lancelot Huntley showed off road‑rash from a recent fall, while freshman Josiah Owens, who once tossed his first board into a bonfire, is now working toward a kickflip despite a sprained wrist.
Pippenger, who recently hurt his hip and can’t skate himself, still leads the meetings. He ends each session with a simple “circle up” where students share what they learned, whether it’s a new trick, board‑building tip, or just how to stay balanced.
“It’s a really great group. We help everybody. Everybody can come in and learn,” Pippenger said. “If they’re not comfortable, we try to get them where they are.”
Why the club matters
The skate club offers more than recreation; it provides a space where students from diverse academic tracks—pilots, ship captains, film and video‑game designers—can connect, build confidence, and support one another. In a time of school restructuring, the program stands as a testament to student initiative and community partnership.
Original reporting: Signal Cleveland — read the source article.
