“Scuba Diving Club will be meeting soon in room A339!” This was the announcement heard loud and clear on the overhead speaker for the past two weeks. Students looked around and quietly asked each other “when did that happen?” or “are they serious?” Well to the surprise of many, yes they are serious. Environmental Science teacher, Marie-Pierre Lampkin, sponsors the Scuba Diving club open for both faculty and students. It does not require any previous experience and it provides opportunity for college credit as well as a certification.

This new addition to Lake Ridge has caught the eye of several students. Ron Williams, sophomore, has taken an interest in the new club and plans to gain knowledge as a member.

“I just expect to learn to scuba dive. I’ll definitely learn a lot about diving because I know actually nothing,” Williams says with a laugh.

Williams has concerns due to the expenses of this sport. He expected a fee and is prepared to learn more on how he can join the club and save money.

“My parents don’t really want to pay an expensive fee for any of my clubs. I hope the program will have some kind of discount for the fees,” states Williams.

Club sponsors, Lamkin and Assistant Principal Michael Sypert, collaborated with a local Arlington scuba shop and the world-renowned Padi scuba learning program. Sypert explains there has been discounts made to the original certification price, making it easier for students to readily join the program.

“The Scuba Diving Club itself doesn’t require a fee, you can be a member of the club without payment. The shop we are paired with is offering a 50 percent discount on their normal open water certification fee. It’s a great discount they are offering,” says Sypert.

The fee is not only discounted, but also includes the payment for equipment and staff support. This discount makes it a more viable option for those looking to save.

“Scuba diving is an expensive sport. The discovery class offered, though, is only $25 for a 5 hour session. This would cover equipment and lifeguard fees, and it’s a way cheaper alternative to learning on your own,” states Lampkin.

This new club offers many opportunities for certifications and even college credit for classes like Aquatic Biology. Many aquatic related career paths can be carved with the help of this club, and Lampkin is more than willing to help. With previous experiences with student diving, Lampkin is a very viable sponser.

“I started scuba diving with my students when I was at my previous school. I got the students to learn to scuba dive on the island I lived on because they didn’t know anything about what’s under the ocean. When we get to go to places where you can actually see what’s under our water, it’s a totally different world than what you can think of,” said Lampkin.

The scuba diving club is open to all of those who wish to learn more about what is under our oceans and lakes or Environmental Science as a whole. This new club finally throws us to the deep end, in the best way possible.