A few years ago, Mr. Lloyd, a biology teacher at Norwin High School, started the SCUBA Club at the high school. Ever since, students that sign up for the club swim and learn how to properly deep-sea dive in the Norwin High School’s pool. Additionally, the club goes to Blue Hole Creek near Altoona, PA at the end of the season. From August to October, the SCUBA Club meets every week on Sundays in order to practice their swimming skills with scuba gear, and become certified as NAUI Openwater SCUBA divers.
Several students from Norwin High School have joined the club with Mr. Lloyd, from freshmen to seniors. Freshman Roman Ola decided to join the club because he thought it would be an interesting opportunity to learn how to do something new, while also bonding with his Honors Biology teacher.
“When you hear the word ‘scuba,’ you think about going underwater and having fun,” said Roman Ola. “I just thought, when Mr. Lloyd said [that] he teaches scuba classes at the school, that is a crazy thing that I didn’t know the school had and I wanted to be a part of it. Also, it brought me closer with my science teacher. It is just a great experience.”
Meanwhile, Arnav Bedekar is a senior who decided to join scuba club because he is an avid lover of science and nature.
“As a life long swimmer and a lover of nature I was always limited by my own body to what I could explore when I went out swimming in different bodies of water,” said Bedekar. “I wanted to join Scuba Club and learn scuba to be able to explore these bodies of water and enjoy the marine life that I wouldn’t have been able to see.”
In a typical SCUBA Club session, the club tries to get as much accomplished as possible.
“[In a typical session] we first get there and put on our wetsuits and assemble our gear ourselves,” said Ola. “Then, Mr. Lloyd comes around to check it. After that, we do a certain dive into the water, like a front roll dive. After we get into the water with scuba gear, we work on a certain skill that we have learned. Then we practice it [the skills] for a little bit and move on. We have 20 minutes of free-time left [at the end], where you practice with your buddy on skills. Then you come up, put your stuff back, talk, and go home.”
Mr. Lloyd, the club adviser, is very passionate about deep-sea diving, scuba club, and other water activities.
“I have been a SCUBA instructor for 37 years,” said Mr. Lloyd. “It is a significant part of my lifestyle, teaching SCUBA classes, directing open water training dives, speaking at seminars, and diving for pleasure. I want to share that with anyone who might be interested.”
Mr. Lloyd is very experienced in the world of scuba. The SCUBA Club accepts anyone that is interested in scuba diving, so see Mr. Lloyd in room 202. Mr. Lloyd says that the club is open to anyone at the high school, you just have to be comfortable in the water. Additionally, the students must be in good physical condition, with adequate heart and lung health in order to participate in the club.
“SCUBA Club is for diver and non-diver students who would like to learn more about SCUBA diving,” said Lloyd. “It is an opportunity for students to learn techniques, skills and tips in a classroom setting. The goal is to inspire students to become certified in SCUBA and for those who are certified, to further their understanding and drive to become a better diver.”
The SCUBA Club is a very new club at the high school that Mr. Lloyd started a couple years ago. Mr. Lloyd originally started the club before COVID as a way to teach students the ways of scuba. However, COVID interrupted the clubs events and dates in 2020.
“The ‘Club’ began prior to COVID when I was running two SCUBA camps over summer,” said Lloyd. “COVID and the pool shutdown brought that to a premature end. Those students have graduated, and now I have started over. I teach an entry level SCUBA class, on Sunday nights, in the pool, here at the high school. I hope to continue that every fall and spring, as there is interest. My plan for the ‘club’ is to offer skills and review sessions in the pool and hopefully some local open water dives for certified club members.”
However, before the students jump into the water, they must complete online NAUI lessons that will teach Norwin students the basics of safety in the water before entering the depths of the pool.
Roman Ola said that the NAUI lessons show students the dangers of scuba diving so they are well aware of things that might happen before they jump into the water, and how to combat bad occurrences.
“Before you get to the SCUBA sessions, you have to do online sessions,” said Ola. “It is the NAUI lessons that come with the course and teach you the dangers, what not to do, and how to SCUBA.”
Following the NAUI lessons, students that successfully complete the course will be certified as divers.
“Students after completing the entry-level course will be certified as NAUI Openwater SCUBA divers,” said Lloyd.
After completing many different lessons on NAUI and several various practice sessions with Mr. Lloyd, the students went to Blue Hole in Williamsburg, PA, this past weekend (Oct. 21, Oct. 22).
“Blue Hole is a privately owned quarry in Williamsburg, PA, near Altoona,” said Lloyd. “Divers are permitted to dive there by invitation and after completing a waiver of liability for the owners.”
On Saturday Oct. 21 and Sunday Oct. 22, Mr. Lloyd and Roman Ola, along with other alumni’s and scuba experts, open-water dived in Blue Hole with other scuba members.
From putting scuba gear on, to scuba diving into the Norwin High School pool, to practicing skills underwater, Mr. Lloyd’s Scuba Club has certainly been a success in providing a unique opportunity for all students to learn how to scuba dive in a safe environment with other students.
“My favorite part of Scuba Club is learning and being able to apply the science that has been taught to me in my classes,” said Bedekar.
