Overview
During the six days of the program, participants take part in a full SCUBA certification program, as well as a complement of workshops and academic sessions that relate diving experiences to learning, challenging themselves, building confidence, and thinking differently about their own potential.
Stay-Focused programs are conducted at the Courtyard Marriott in Grand Cayman, British West Indies. Among the finest diving areas in the world, Grand Cayman offers superb dive sites with easy access, dive facilities with extremely high safety ratings, warm water with excellent visibility and limited current, and first-rate medical facilities. For its diving operations, Stay-Focused partners with Red Sail Sports.
Most Stay-Focused participants are 13-to-17-years-old, use wheel chairs and are actively involved in water sports and other athletic programs. In 2004, participants selected for the program were from the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut areas.
Preparing for the trip Before leaving for Grand Cayman, participants go through two diving pre-certification academic sessions with Richard Smart, Stay-Focused Program Manager and Dive Instructor. The sessions are a required part of the PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) certification program, and they are conducted before the trip to ensure the academic component of the program is very thorough. Completing their academic preparation before the trip means the divers can begin their pool skills on the first day of the program.
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Four-Day Schedule
Upon arrival in Grand Cayman, participants settle into the excellent Courtyard Marriott accommodations, which also serve as our classroom and meeting areas. Participants get acclimated to the island and their surroundings, and join Stay-Focused dive instructors in selecting equipment they'll be using for the week. That evening, participants and staff socialize, have their first meal as a group, and learn about the week's agenda.
Day One
Most of the first full day of the program is spent in the pool, where participants complete their confined open- water skills. In the evening, participants may choose to take their PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) open-water dive course final exam.
Day Two
This is when the real learning begins. We move into the open water where Stay-Focused dive instructors put participants through the first two dives of the open-water course. Back at the hotel, we spend time in an educational session, working on goal-setting, trust-building, and pursuing success. Or, depending on the group, this time may be spent learning about the marine environment. In the evening, those participants who have not yet completed their final exams will need to do so.
Day Three
On Day Three, the Stay-Focused dive instructors take participants through dives three and four of the open water course. In the afternoon, participants again gather to work on goal-setting, achievement, and social responsibility. In the evening, participants work on their contributions to the Stay-Focused Legacy Log: a permanent record of the experiences of every Stay-Focused participant.
Day Four
Day Four is the first day participants dive as certified PADI SCUBA divers! We celebrate with three dives: two in the morning (if possible, visiting a submerged shipwreck for one of the dives), and in the afternoon, visiting Stingray City, one of the world's top-10 dive destinations. During their Stingray City dive, Stay-Focused instructors assist participants in feeding stingrays, and, perhaps, a moray eel. In the evening, participants enjoy a celebration banquet, receive their PADI SCUBA diving certificates, and share their creative contributions to the Stay-Focused Legacy Log.
A major part of Stay-Focused is staying in touch. Stay-Focused alumni have the opportunity to participate in the program again the following year, hopefully as mentors to those entering the program. We want everyone to stay in touch via the Stay-Focused web site and ongoing programs.
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