I started scuba diving when I was 12 years old. Back then, I was exploring what it meant to be a marine biologist. After my first dive in the sea, my perception and life changed for good; thereafter, I just wanted to focus on exploring and learning about the mysteries of the ocean and its creatures. Scuba diving provided me with numerous skills and experiences that increased my knowledge about the ocean.
Funding from UF/IFAS Dean of Extension mini-grant and Dean’s awards enabled me to get certified, by Scuba Educators International (SEI), as a scuba diver instructor. My goal as an extension agent and scuba diving instructor is to offer youth and adults the opportunity to access and to explore the underwater world - beyond a lecture or power point slide - and educate them about aquatic systems and their resources through experiential learning.
During summer 2022, I offered the first 4-H Summer Dive Camp - a 40-hour certification-seeking training - to eight youth in Taylor County. The course not only presented the scuba principles of physics, physiology, and safety planning; I was able to go deeper in coastal and marine environmental issues and potential careers the youth could pursue in the future. They learned and developed important skills, such as self-confidence and teamwork, during an 8-hour pool session. Those skills were reinforced during five check-out dives.
From left to right:
Photo 1: A 16 year old student shares time with a school of Sunfish, during the safety stop in Blue Grotto. She wants to pursue a career in marine biology.
Photo 2: A post-lectures pool session introduced students to the basic skills of diving. Buoyancy control is one of the practiced skills.
Photo 3: Overcoming fears is essential to youth development. Performing a giant stride water entry was the first step to explore the underwater world.
Photo 4: A group of youth have their first check-out dives at Royal Springs, while they learned about the watershed, freshwater ecosystems, and fauna.
The program evaluation showed an awareness increase of 82% and a knowledge gain of 95% on coastal and marine ecosystems issues, such as watersheds, Florida’s freshwater systems, seagrasses, artificial reefs, and coral reefs. Using scuba diving as an extension tool to provide access and hands-on learning experiences is key for youth and adults to better understand the complexity of the underwater world. However, many challenges remain as, despite being a coastal county, a high percentage of people do not know how to swim, which represents the greatest barrier to overcome.
The next step is to provide this type of service to people with disabilities (paraplegia, quadriplegia, visual and hearing impairment, spectrum of autism, etc.) through the Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA) program. This new approach aligns with the UF/IFAS Extension Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy, as it focuses not only on proving access by diverse groups to new educational experiences, but to reach underrepresented and underserved members of our community.
Victor Blanco
Marine and Natural Resources Extension Agent
Sea Grant UF/IFAS Extension - Taylor County
Email: victorblancomar@ufl.edu