Alejandra Reyes was one of 83 students to graduate from the Sound School in New Haven, receiving a high school diploma and a certification in scientific and rescue scuba diving. Reyes plans to study psychology at the University of Connecticut, but may switch her major if she misses diving too much.

Unique Program

The Sound School is one of only two schools in the country with a scientific diving program, according to Aquatics Coordinator Pete Solomon. About 30 juniors and seniors from the school get their certifications every year, which includes two training trips to the Caribbean islands of Bonaire and Bermuda.

Reyes went on both trips and said they were “incredible.” Her teacher, Joe Rodrigo, said that the trips provide students with exposure to marine ecosystems and the impact of human actions on the environment. “We need great scuba divers, but we need environmentalists as well,” Rodrigo said.

Graduation Ceremony

The graduation ceremony was held indoors at Betsy Ross Arts & Design Academy due to rain. Principal Marc Potocsky presided over the ceremony, which was the first indoor ceremony he has led. Potocsky told graduates that they have learned that success is not just measured in grades, but in grit.

Aside from the few who are also scuba-certified, all graduates leave the school with a Connecticut boating license and Occupational Safety and Health Administration credentials. Sound is one of 21 schools in the state that is public and an Agricultural Science and Technology Education (ASTE) center, preparing students for college and careers in marine biology, aquaculture, and agriculture.

About 60 percent of students end up at four-year institutions after high school. Sixteen graduates have already secured jobs at General Dynamics Electric Boat, where they will build nuclear submarines for the US military. Josh Stephens and Dominic Miranda are two of the graduates who will be working at Electric Boat.

Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.