{"681769":{"#nid":"681769","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Diving Into Community Service","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImagine you\u2019re walking along a dark Caribbean beach. The night air is warm, and there\u2019s a light breeze that blows the ocean spray onto your face, bringing with it the smell of sea salt. As you step forward, the sand sticking to the bottom of your feet, another wave crashes onto the beach, and millions of tiny bioluminescent lights twinkle on the sand like stars, seeming to reflect the view above of the night sky.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor some Georgia Tech students and staff, this fantastical scene was not a daydream \u2014 it was the reality of their spring break on Bonaire, a small, picturesque island off the coast of South America. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crc.gatech.edu\/scuba\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Scuba Program\u003C\/a\u003E, a part of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crc.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECampus Recreation\u003C\/a\u003E within \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/students.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStudent Engagement and Well-Being\u003C\/a\u003E, took a group of 23 students and staff to Bonaire on its annual spring break trip in March.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the trip included everything you would expect from a Caribbean vacation \u2014 stunning sunset views, white sandy beaches, clear tropical waters, and lasting memories made with friends \u2014 the divers weren\u2019t just enjoying time away from school and work. They also made several dives as part of a volunteer program with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reefrenewalbonaire.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EReef Renewal Bonaire\u003C\/a\u003E, a coral restoration initiative founded in 2012.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech divers spent hours cleaning and maintaining coral nurseries that will eventually outplant diverse and resilient corals back to the natural reef. They also collected data on coral health and growth that will help the Reef Renewal foundation with ongoing research and restoration efforts. This positive environmental impact was one reason Tech students gave for why they were attracted to the scuba program, in addition to the supportive community and opportunities to learn and explore.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo me, my experience at Tech has been defined by learning new things, meeting new people, and finding ways to make my community better. This trip wrapped all that into one,\u201d third-year psychology student Ana Peralta Rolka said. \u201cI got to learn about all the different wildlife and coral and the various environmental impacts that affect them.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESecond-year environmental science student Camden Hyde, who always dreamed of becoming a scuba diver, said he formed lifelong bonds with his peers and instructors on the trip and found a sense of community within the program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis program and trip gave me a whole new community to explore, and it connected me to a ton of like-minded individuals who love and care about the environment just like I do,\u201d he said. \u201cThe scuba program is an amazing community and an awesome opportunity to see more of the planet than many others. Even with rigorous academics and a busy lifestyle, Georgia Tech scuba gave me a pathway to achieve my dreams and create strong connections that will serve me well in my passions and professional career.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe scuba program offers a range of classes for beginners to advanced divers and provides a pathway to open water certification. Equipment is provided for participants during classes at no additional cost, and all courses in the program are located on-campus in the Campus Recreation Center\u2019s McAuley Aquatic Center. Those who are interested in learning more and trying scuba can attend a two-hour Discover Scuba session before committing to a course.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENatalia Celis, a second-year industrial engineering student, said that she would encourage anyone who has an interest in diving to join Georgia Tech scuba.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDo it \u2014 seriously, don\u2019t hesitate. Even if you\u2019re nervous about not knowing anyone, or even if you\u2019re new to diving, you\u2019ll be welcomed immediately,\u201d she said. \u201cEveryone is super supportive, and there\u2019s a place for everyone, whether you\u2019re advanced certified or just starting out. If you\u2019re even considering it, take that as your sign to just go for it. I promise you won\u2019t regret it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECelis, who is an experienced diver, knew she wanted to find a way to continue doing what she loved when she came to Tech. She said when she learned about the scuba program, it felt like the perfect opportunity to keep diving while making connections in a new community.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI just want to say how grateful I am that Tech has a program like this,\u201d Celis said. \u201cNot every school gives you the chance to go on a scuba trip with your peers, and I think it\u2019s something really unique about the experience here.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech Scuba Program is open to students, staff, faculty, alumni and the community. More information about the program and class offerings can be found on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crc.gatech.edu\/scuba\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eprogram page\u003C\/a\u003E on Campus Recreation\u2019s website.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Tech students, staff use spring break to contribute to conservation"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crc.gatech.edu\/scuba\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Scuba Program\u003C\/a\u003E, a part of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crc.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECampus Recreation\u003C\/a\u003E within \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/students.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStudent Engagement and Well-Being\u003C\/a\u003E, took a group of 23 students and staff to Bonaire on its annual spring break trip in March.\u0026nbsp;While the trip included everything you would expect from a Caribbean vacation \u2014 stunning sunset views, white sandy beaches, clear tropical waters, and lasting memories made with friends \u2014 the divers weren\u2019t just enjoying time away from school and work. They also made several dives as part of a volunteer program with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reefrenewalbonaire.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EReef Renewal Bonaire\u003C\/a\u003E, a coral restoration initiative founded in 2012.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Georgia Tech Scuba Program took a group of 23 students and staff to the Caribbean to volunteer on a coral restoration project. "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2025-04-14 15:31:42","changed_gmt":"2025-04-14 15:35:44","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676831":{"id":"676831","type":"image","title":"IMG_8279.jpg","body":null,"created":"1744644743","gmt_created":"2025-04-14 15:32:23","changed":"1744644743","gmt_changed":"2025-04-14 15:32:23","alt":"Tech students and staff holding a Georgia Tech flag on the beach","file":{"fid":"260675","name":"IMG_8279.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/14\/IMG_8279.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/14\/IMG_8279.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4288022,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/14\/IMG_8279.jpg?itok=Fn-n0U8h"}}},"media_ids":["676831"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/crc.gatech.edu\/scuba\/","title":"More info"}],"groups":[{"id":"428961","name":"Health and Well-Being"},{"id":"652360","name":"Student Engagement and Well-Being"},{"id":"1269","name":"Student Life"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"168122","name":"Scuba"},{"id":"3484","name":"Campus Recreation"},{"id":"783","name":"conservation"},{"id":"25931","name":"volunteering"},{"id":"167637","name":"spring break"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}