Fourth and fifth graders at Webb Elementary School squirmed while sitting down in semi-straight lines in the gym.
They’ve been called for an assembly, but they don’t know what for.
The surprise? Brand new skateboards for each student — including a free lesson from an expert.
On Jan. 15, 100 skateboards were donated to the predominantly low-income elementary school by RxBenefits and Can’d Aid, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing resources for underprivileged communities to promote healthy lifestyles. Alongside the skateboards, 100 bicycles were gifted to first, second and third graders, and the school music department received 30 ukuleles.
A couple of kids listen attentively to the skateboarding lesson on Jan. 15, 2026. (Ismael M. Belkoura | Fort Worth Report)
Webb Elementary was the sixth school in the greater North Texas area that received the donation, said Abbi Arneson, marketing manager for the nonprofit. She said that giving kids access to tools that will help them stay active “has the power to shift the mindset of a student.”
“Giving children access to outlets — whether that’s active, healthy or creative outlets — it truly has the power to change the trajectory of a kid’s life, whether that’s through providing community or giving them a way to spend more time outside and get off of screens,” Arneson said.
Children from the ages of 8 to 18 spend over seven hours daily on technological devices, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. To combat this, the nonprofit has donated 14,438 bikes, 9,084 skateboards and 4,425 new instruments to kids in underserved communities nationwide since 2013.
The bikes, skateboards and ukulele donation was one of the largest Webb Elementary has received, vice principal Brian Gomez said.
The younger kids were shown the ruby-red bikes during lunch and were able to take them home later. However, after strapping on free helmets, the fourth and fifth graders were given an all-inclusive beginner crash course in the school’s gym.
Brian Ball, owner of Square State Skate in Colorado, spent about a half hour teaching the basics to the students. He’s traveled across the country with Can’d Aid for the last five years, pairing his instruction with the nonprofit’s donations.
Kids stand on their skateboards at Webb Elementary School on Jan. 15, 2026. (Ismael M. Belkoura | Fort Worth Report)
Ruby-red bikes are lined up on the school stage on Jan. 15, 2026. (Ismael M. Belkoura | Fort Worth Report)
His mindset about skateboarding is simple — the low bar of entry means anyone can start learning if they want. Skateboarding also allows any person to build community and connection with others, Ball said.
“It really does bring out our humanity more than any device ever could,” he added.
For Gomez, the scope of the donation was secondary to the initial lesson from Ball. The vice principal hopes his students are able to explore more of who they are now that the barrier of acquiring a bike or a skateboard is gone.
“I don’t think I’ve seen any of our kids on skateboards, but you don’t know what you know you can do unless you’re given the opportunity,” Gomez said. “My hope is that a lot of them will take on skateboarding, and maybe (it will) be something that they never thought about tapping into, but now may be an avenue for them to pursue.”
Ismael M. Belkoura is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org.
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