Patience, Team Work and Determination.

There is a lot that Splash Dive Center does in and around Placencia Village but to name one that is close to Patty’s heart and to Splash Dive Instructor Team is the Juniors Club. Patty founded the Splash Kids Club, which helps kids from the local community to get certified as PADI Junior Open Water divers. “Not only does this help the kids enjoy the rewards of scuba diving, but it gets them started on a potential career as a local guide or PADI Instructor, and more importantly educates them about the importance of long term environmental conservation and even better as the classes are free.” says Patty.

So with that said Splash Dive Center is very proud to congratulate and announce its first Dive Master Graduates, Norman & Edwin Leslie. They are the first graduates of the Junior Club and are now Certified Dive Master.  Their Patience, along with team work of the instructors and their determination they did it.  The Instructors (Mark Castillo, Sean Faux, and Warren Garbutt) were very pleased with the outcome of they’re performance.

Norman, (Proud Momma) Jodie, and Edwin Leslie

Norman and Edwin started off in 2005, when they were just in Standard 5, attending St. John’s Memorial Primary School; doing the PADI Junior Open Water. After graduating in 2006 the boy moved to Florida, Miami Dade County, where they started High School. Returning home for summer vacation in 2007, they continued with their Advance Open Water Certification, and in 2009 they finished off with their Emergency Frist Response & their Rescue Diver Certification… Both boys did not want to stop there they had to top that by taking it to the next level, in diving and becoming a Dive Master, getting certified this year in August. If you look at the time frame and wonder why the years gaps in between certification, the boys used this times to practice their skills, and make up their dives, before advancing on to the next stage. This is good practice.

Mrs. Jodie Leslie, is proud momma of both boys, and was with them every step of the way, lending her helping hand. She could not be more proud of the boys. When I asked her for a message for the boys or what she thinks of them for becoming dive masters she said… “I am very proud of my boys and thankful to Patty for giving them this unique opportunity for keeping them in tuned with what they like doing and that’s being on the sea. The boys took a spark to diving and realizing that diving and snorkeling is a part of the living environment in Placencia. I am so proud of them for taking it to the next level. I have always encouraged my boys to do their best at what they do and I can see them as future guides and dive instruction in Placencia or anywhere in the world.”

Norman & Edwin Leslie

Splash encourages all young teenagers to join the Juniors Club. They can choose to do the classes during the school year on Saturdays or during the summer on their free time. Teenager must come in with a parent and sit down with Patty to discuss class & time frame and parent must give their consent allowing their child to take the classes. For more information on the Juniors Club give us a call at 523-3080 or 523-3058, or e-mail Patty at patricia@splashbelize.com

Splash would also like to thank the sponsors for making the Juniors Club a success, without your financial support we would not be able to give these kids a chance.