Paying it Forward, beyond the projects
Our pay it forward program participants are doing so much I have to give them all a shout out. To apply they each had to come up with a community service or socially impactful project to complete in exchange for the scuba course of their choice. They started at different experience and skill levels, from different parts of the island & different backgrounds but they have all come together to better themselves and their communities through this program.
We’ve watched these students grow and mature over the course of the program and mentorship, overcome obstacles and problem solve both on the surface and underwater with the help of their buddies.
In addition to their original projects, most of these students have participated in Diver’s Against Debris dives and even earned their D.A.D. Specialty Certification for it. They have surveyed our reef fish & invasive lionfish for REEF.org and surveyed coral health for Coral Watch. These specialized dives and certifications were not part of their initial program but they are valuable extensions of their course work and projects. During these additional dives, divers are paying it forward with every piece of marine debris removed, every completed fish & coral survey. They pay it forward when they help each other overcome struggles in knowledge or skill development. They pay it forward by sharing what they’ve learned about conservation with their families, with fisherman, and of course with their peers. They are sharing their experiences, inspiring others to not only rethink their relationship with the sea, but rethink their relationship with science, their community, their island.
We are so proud of our Pay it Forward participants, doing so much more than they signed up for. This is the essence of the Pay it Forward project, it is so much more than learning to dive, it’s giving youth opportunities to grow as people, to learn about themselves, to support and inspire the next generation.
In September we launched our patreon community in hopes of funding these students continuing education, and though the project has been sustainable so far, we will need more community members to fund our current participant’s goals. With new students each month we need to raise more funds to insure we can always say yes when it’s time for participants to redeem their pay it forward credits for their next scuba experience or certification.
Take a moment to give back
To learn how you can support these incredible students accomplish their scuba & conservation goals and grow into people of action click the button below: