Kingsway Academy has added a new first to the school's list of accomplishments -- it now has an officially recognized school dive club after science teacher Kiala Clarke revived the fledgling Scuba Club in September 2012 with science lab assistant Jeremy Prosa. Being adventurous and ready for any challenge, Clarke set out to qualify herself, Prosa and the interested students. They enrolled in e-learning at Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas and took their first dive in April 2013. They were all certified as open water divers.
The members of the Scuba Club explored sunken wrecks from movies such as "Into the Blue" and "Jaws".
Their latest dive, 100-feet into the lost blue hole off the southern tip of New Providence, earned Clarke and six of the club's members, Rochea Morely, Kenice Miller, Calvin Tynes, Andre Musgrove, Jer'Choyae Moxey, Kryshelle Adderley, their advanced open water certification.
Over their mid-term break, which students usually use to catch up on sleep, Jesse Green, Alice Roberts, Rashad Gooding, Monice Nazon and Selerstine Fortune earned their open water certification. Previous achievers for open water certification include Carl Braynen, Christopher Moree, Andrew Munnings and Giovanni Edigio and math teacher, William Wolf.
New to the dive team for this school year and hoping to qualify are Christian Sealy, Travis Evans and Ryan White, who said that diving has always intrigued him.
"It is one item on my bucket list of things to experience," said White.
"Under the sea, I am completely free to explore a whole other world. I am one with the sea animals and whatever is found there. I remember the first time I dove, I talked about it for days," said Rochea Morley, an original member of the Scuba Club.
Alice Roberts, who recently qualified, described her first experience as extremely frightening, but after being submerged and swimming around, she said she grew more confident and her fear subsided.
Scuba Club President Andre Musgrove has been diving since he was seven years old. It's a hobby he shared with his father. His most interesting experience, he said, was the first time he encountered a nurse shark, but it's an experience he no longer finds "scary".
His experience and opportunity to watch professional divers and researchers has sparked his interest to pursue underwater videography. He's already begun to use his underwater camera to create mini video clips of the team's dives and the underwater world.
Clarke said she was privileged to share the opportunity with her students. She said the class taken by the would-be divers helped to prepare them for their adventure in the ocean and what they would see and feel in their bodies.
"The instructors are very serious and make you understand the gravity of being underwater. There is no time for horse-play," said recent qualifier Jesse Greene. "We had to learn the hand signals and be honest about any ill feelings. There's no time to be Mr. Macho. Your life depends on it."
The diving certifications could open many career doors for the students, from marine research to technical diving (bridge builders), marine biology, oil exploration and research, animal caretakers, free diving and fishing.
Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas partnered with Kingsway Academy for two years.
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