Long Beach Students Catch Waves

Sept. 14 was a day of serenity, excitement and, in some cases, bravery for Long Beach students who participated in the annual Surfers Healing Surf Camp held at Lido West Town Beach.

Members of Long Beach High School’s Life Skills program and the district’s special education program joined students, educators and parents from neighboring communities for a therapeutic, confidence-building experience that combined the tranquility of the ocean with the magic of surfing.

Professional Surfers Healing instructors brought students into the water on longboards after welcoming them and fitting them for life jackets. Students each embarked upon their own unique surfing adventures, in which they trusted their instructors and believed in themselves as they stepped up onto their feet to ride waves back to the shore.

Members of the Long Beach High School surf team handed out medals with pride and offered congratulatory remarks, high-fives and encouragement to the accomplished surfers. Students in the high school’s marching band and color guard also volunteered and led the event’s opening ceremony.

Surfers Healing seeks to enhance the lives of children and teens with special needs, specifically those with autism. The organization’s stellar team, coupled with the ocean’s therapeutic effect has been making a difference in the lives of its participants for 16 years. This was one of many one-day Surfers Healing camps held across the nation and was organized in partnership with the Town of Hempstead.

Photos: Long Beach School District.