Mayor Sarno states, “I want to commend and applaud Principal Christopher Sutton and Michelle Norman for everything they do to expose our youth to new and exciting adventures. Not many inner-city youths get a chance to experience diving and swimming in the ocean, let alone this life-changing experience of scuba diving in the beautiful waters in the Bahamas. Sutton, who is also a professional scuba diver and a certified dive master with nearly 10 years of diving experience, has a steadfast passion of seeing our youth excel and have an opportunity to explore, enjoy and be exposed to as many new experiences as possible.”
Principal Sutton is a professional scuba diver and holds the certification of a dive master. Over his nearly 10 years diving Sutton has greatly appreciated the learning opportunities, character building, and life-changing experiences scuba diving has provided him with. Yet over these years it has always struck him that access to scuba diving has been limited to an exclusive segment of people, and Mr. Sutton has always wished that Springfield’s youth could also have access to this life-changing experience.
Over the last few years Mr. Sutton has traveled to an incredible diving facility at Stuart Cove in the Bahamas and built relationships with the diving community in the Bahamas. Stuart Cove, Ministry of Tourism, and community in the Bahamas have shared Mr. Suttons’ passion to bring this exclusive and life changing experience to Springfield’s youth who otherwise would not have the fortune in life to participate in scuba diving. Together they have partnered with local leaders to provide 15 youths with a no-cost trip to their diving facility! Participating in this program will not only be a once in a life-time experience for our youths but it will also provide them with an experience that will help them stand out as they further their education into college and will teach them how to navigate new situations with a broader global perspective. In support of this goal these youths will be supported in connecting their diving experience to cross content and curricular activities such as journaling, world studies, cultural proficiency, and STEAM learning.
For the past year and a half, the young people enrolled in the diving program have dedicated themselves to weekly swim sessions with our partners from the Springfield YMCA and Enfield Scuba and Water Sports.
Once they are certified as proficient swimmers and obtain their Scuba Diver certification, these young people will have the opportunity to embark on the journey of a lifetime! This unique experience will take place the week of August 6 – 10, 2024 at Stuart Cove, Nassau, Bahamas. While there, the youths will be able to either snorkel or scuba dive.
To make this opportunity a reality for our youths, Inner-City Youth Scuba Diving Team is relying on the generosity of individuals and businesses in our community. Anyone interested in donating and supporting can do so by check: Make check payable to Springfield School Volunteers with Inner-City Youth Scuba Diving in the memo section on the check. Checks can be mailed to the Springfield School Volunteers, 1550 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103.
To make an online donation, please visit: www.springfieldschoolvolunteers.org/, click on DONATE, then Donate Now Via PayPal. Enter the amount of your donation and then select either Donate with PayPal or Donate with Debit or Credit Card. Click the ‘+’ symbol to Add Special Instructions and indicate ‘Inner-City Youth Scuba Diving’ in the box. Complete the remaining fields.
On behalf of the City of Springfield, the Springfield Public Schools, Springfield School Volunteers and the Inner-City Youth Scuba Diving Team, we thank you for your consideration and genericity.
