Next Up x Vans Collab Shoes

What organization wouldn’t love a collaboration with Vans? Next Up got that very opportunity when Vans provided us the chance to have our very own Next Up shoe–and even better, it would be designed by one of our Next Up students! We want you to meet Israel R, our talented youth designer who designed our two shoes in collaboration with Vans during an art activity at our Success Lab.

1) Introduce yourself.

My name is Israel Rodriguez, I’m 14 years old, and I’m in 9th grade at Anaheim High School.

2) What is your brief history as a skateboarder and Next Up student?

I was 11 years old when I got my first skateboard for Christmas and started skating. I joined Next Up in 2015 during the summer when there wasn’t yet a Next Up headquarters. I come to Next Up almost every week because I get to skate with my friends and learn new things by doing the workshops Next Up has for us.

3) Will you tell us about this opportunity you had to design a pair of Vans shoes?

The opportunity I had to design a pair of Vans shoes was exciting because Vans is my favorite shoe brand, and I had the chance to have my own design on a Vans’ shoe.

4) Tell us about your design and what you were going for.

I had some old school Vans with checkers on the sides, and I was thinking about replacing the checkers on the side with the Next Up logo and Next Up, Anaheim CA on the back of the shoe. Because Vina, the founder of Next Up, had a feeling that my design could be chosen, he told me to also design something similar for the high tops (Sk8-Hi). I really liked my design for the low tops, so I felt comfortable with the idea of doing something similar for the high tops. And that’s what I did, I kept Next Up logos and the Anaheim California spelled out on the sides.

5) How did it feel when you discovered your design was chosen?

I felt shocked when I found out that my shoe design was picked! My design is on a Vans’ shoe and I’m going to see people wear my shoe.

6) What kind of opportunities will this open up for you in the future?

Opportunities that my shoe design might open up for me would be being a shoe designer or specifically being a shoe designer for Vans.

7) How does your family feel about your involvement with Next Up and this specific experience?

My family is happy with me going to Next Up, and when they found out that my design was chosen they were very excited.

8) Where do you see yourself in 2 years? In 5 years? In 10 years?

In 2 years I see myself still in high school, but in 5 years I see myself graduated from high school and still going to school for more education, and in 10 years I see myself with my own business.

9) What do you think about the workshops that you participate at Next Up?

The workshops that I participate in at Next Up are fun, and they teach me a lot of helpful new things. The design competition was part of an art workshop.

10) Overall how has Next Up helped your own self-development?

Next Up has helped my self development by having these workshops. The workshops teach me and have helped me find something that I want to do when I grow up.

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