Nose grab. Kick flip. Japan air. Such phrases now scatter the backs of skate ramps and the rental building in the YMCA’s skate park, thanks to a number of teens who pitched in to spice up a gray, drabby skate park with bright colors, jagged edges, words, and outlines of skaters.

    “It’s a way for kids to give back to community and take ownership,” says Diane Hofstedt, program manager for Lutheran Social Services Runaway and Youth Services. “We need to ask them more, what do you need from our community?”

    Hofstedt’s idea was to have kids create mural art in community places so they could express their concern about community events taking place and have it be seen by other adults. She also wanted to encourage a safe place where kids could connect to adult mentors. “When they’re able to express themselves by creating without barrier, they really open up well,” says Hofstedt.

    Then she stumbled onto the YMCA’s skate park located on 229 Moore St. “This just fell into our lap,” says Hofstedt. The YMCA was already looking for a way to jazz up the skate park and welcomed Hofstedt’s idea of involving local teens.

    Cyndee Kaiser, an artist who has done several murals around town and in homes, including the windows on 2 S. Barstow St., volunteered her help in the design area.

    The three didn’t have an exact design for the mural. They planned to take ideas from the kids and let the art emerge. “I want this to be kid-generated, not me-generated,” says Kaiser. “I’m here as a technical consultant.”