We had a great week with all of the guys from Jesuit. I think this trip has served everyone involved, myself included, as a wonderful learning opportunity. It has instilled in the students an appreciation, if not love, for the aquatic environments of our reefs and oceans. I feel confident that this next generation of responsible, conservation-minded divers will continue to protect our reefs as the valuable resource that they are. This week provided the teachers of Jesuit a novel, hands on approach as a way of putting the classroom theory into a real world application that the students found immediately useful and relevant. It provided our staff the opportunity to work with a future generation of responsible divers. The class also helped the students hone their skills, and provide them with the tools necessary to continue their growth and education in the fields of marine biology and marine research and conservation. We also learned just how fun it can be to work with teenagers beyond our typical “learn to dive” type classes. It was really cool to see them grow and mature as a group even in the one short week they were here.
For me personally this week was a lot of fun, and a very rewarding experience. I want to thank everyone who worked to make this trip a success, from Dr. G and Mr. Kirby who worked in the planning and teaching at Jesuit, the students who put forth effort and time into learning the material and arriving in the BVI excited and prepared, as well as the parents who provided the means and the opportunity for these young men to attend the program. We’re looking forward to next year.
Andrew
