Hillsboro, NH (7/11/22) – The Wediko School announced today that 4 students (and 1 staff) completed the PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) scuba certification. The course involves students spending an entire semester learning the foundations of diving through a STEM-based curriculum in the classroom before applying the skills in a confined pool setting. Once the students master the underwater skills in a controlled water environment, they are required to practice a subset of skills in a lake or ocean. Upon completion, students earn an internationally-recognized certification card that allows them to scuba dive down to 60 feet.

(Staff also routinely enroll in the course along with the students, requiring them to participate in all exams and physical activities as the students.)

“Achieving this goal is a huge point of pride for kids,” said Jason Dawson, who is a certified Divemaster and a lead teacher at the Wediko School. “It gives kids the opportunity to try something new, find pride and confidence in the activity, and have something exciting to work towards. I am proud of our students for working hard and achieving this huge goal.”

Dawson regularly takes certified students and staff on shipwreck dives in Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire and ocean dives at Nubble Light House in York, Maine. This serves as a therapeutic tool for children with social and emotional challenges.

To learn more about the Wediko School, visit thewedikoschool.org.

About The Wediko School

The Wediko School is a residential treatment center offering therapeutic and educational services for middle- and high-school-aged boys experiencing significant social-emotional, behavioral, and educational challenges. A program of The Home for Little Wanderers, The Wediko School’s social workers, psychologists, and special education teachers guide students through an intensive milieu of academics and therapy. For more information, visit thewedikoschool.org.