Mentor program uses scuba diving to keep students on track

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — A nonprofit started recruiting at-risk students this week for a unique mentoring program that comes with a scholarship and scuba gear.

The program was put in place to get those students on the right path.

Shannon McAteer is using his story of being a high school dropout who became a military helicopter pilot to inspire students to stay in school.

“How do you get from 10th-grade dropout to Ph.D.?” McAteer said. “It takes someone getting involved in your life and giving you hope.”

SEAKERS Aquatic Adventures is a mentoring program in which children are taken on deep dives in the ocean to keep them on track.

The Performance Learning Center in Concord supports students who aren't doing well in traditional schools.

“A lot of these kids are at a crossroads in their life,” McAteer said. “We're hoping we can steer them in the right direction."

In addition to mentoring the children and helping them with their studies, SEAKERS gives each student a scholarship to cover the cost of certifications in scuba and travel for deep dives, skills they can use to pursue careers.

“This is the vehicle to teach other lifelong lessons, long- and short-term planning, overcoming fears,” McAteer said.

SEAKERS helped mentee E.J. Rolfes get additional training to help him become a firefighter.

“You made something happen for me (that) I wouldn’t be able to afford myself,” Rolfes said.

Community partners provide space and scuba gear and hope the program will expand to help more teens.

They're hoping the children take the lessons learned underwater back home and go on to work and serve their communities.

Cox Media Group