Aquatic science students at Mary Carroll High School dove into their studies Tuesday, April 25 at the CCISD Natatorium. They participated in a trip-scuba experience with their teacher and the Ascuba Venture dive team.
Senior Alex Flores said his aquatic science class recently talked about marine life and biology. He said one way to learn about marine life is by diving and getting that experience first hand. He quickly learned it's not just about jumping into the water.
"Today we learned the basic hand signals like going up, going down, somethings not right. What they had us do was put on the scuba tanks. It was just like wearing a backpack and then clipping it on your waist and on your chest. One button fills your bag with air, one releases it and the other is your oxygen. I think its a great way to end high school," Flores said.
This is his aquatic science teacher Dr.Heidi Ballew's first year teaching at Carroll, but she already made an impact on her students with her unique lessons. Aside from teaching, she’s also a diver and has dove all over the world.
"I have found that diving brings people together and opens up a lot of doors and opportunities. As an aquatic science teacher, I felt like this is an experience they needed to have before they finish the year off," Ballew said.
She said a lot of the ways to learn about marine life is by diving and getting that experience first hand.
"It's impactful seeing the things we talk about in real time and seeing the kids being able to do real stuff with their bodies and minds. So they’re applying what they learned in class out in the real world," Ballew said.
Students were also taught by Ascuba Venture diving instructors. Outside of the Ascuba Venture dive shop, diver Toniann German, focuses on oceanic conservation. The instructors hope that students will have a new respect for divers and the science behind it.
"I always wanted to be a diver because it really allows me to get into the ocean and understand human impact and what’s happening to our marine life and habitats," Diver with Ascuba Venture Toniann German said.
Students also learned that diving isn't just recreational or a sport. The tai-scuba experience the students had can turn into a career, a lifestyle, or simply just a way to stay connected with the environment around them. It's an introduction to a vast undiscovered country.
"It's not just exciting but its also very humbling. You start to realize there’s an entire world existing under the waves," German said.
Ascuba Venture wants to continue being involved in the community and partner with schools to introduce them to the world of scuba. German said benefits include learning physics, math, science, history and physical education, to name a few. For any schools or for those interested in scuba diving lessons, follow Scuba Venture on Instagram at scuba.venture or visit their website www.ascubaventure.com.
