Making Waves With City Surf Project
CauseMaking Waves With City Surf Project
GoPro for a Cause and Kindhumans partnered up to create a short film that tells the story of City Surf Project (CSP) and the students in the program. CSP was founded by former high school teacher Johnny Irwin. After seeing what a positive impact surfing and the ocean had on inner-city kids, he felt he could be of better service to his students by taking them surfing than as a teacher.
Kindhumans and the GoPro team along with professional surfer Kassia Meador spent the day in Pacifica, California getting to know a group of CSP students from the Mission District in San Francisco. With healing sound and ocean waves, Kassia shared her talent and positive energy with students both in and out of the water. Through this experience we learned more about the students and the important healing and transformative role the ocean and surfing has on their lives.
Watch the short film below;
“To me, water is life. I personally feel very grateful to have had a deep connection with water, the ocean, and surfing since I was young. It empowered me and taught me invaluable skills that I will always use to navigate my personal life, emotions, and world. When I first heard about City Surf Project and what they were doing with kids in San Francisco, I couldn’t wait to spend some time with them and learn more. San Francisco is a city surrounded by water and the majority of its inhabitants do not even know how to swim. The crew at City Surf Project works with six of the major public schools in San Francisco as part of their emotional health and wellness program. They are empowering kids through a connection with nature as well as supporting them in managing their emotions and feelings with saltwater therapy. By teaching kids the language of the ocean through swimming and surfing, City Surf is changing these young lives in the best way possible. I saw first hand the difference in these sweet kids faces from when we picked them up at school to when we spent sweet time in the ocean together sharing high fives and party waves. They shared how much the City Surf Project has enriched their lives and has given them the tools for success. I am grateful for organizations like City Surf Project for supporting our youth as the future is in their hands.” – Kassia Meador, Professional Surfer
“While working as a high school teacher, I was looking for a way to connect with my students on a deeper level. I was fortunate to have been introduced to surfing by my father. Surfing has always had a positive impact on my life: allowing me to relieve stress, connect with nature’s beauty, and stay physically active. I wanted to share this experience with my students who rarely got an experience like this. We went on a field trip to go surfing and the experience was highly impactful—students that lived one mile from the beach had never been in the ocean before, but by the end of the day those same students were standing up and riding waves. I realized that I would be of better service to my students by taking them surfing than I could as their teacher, and from there, the City Surf Project was born.” – Johnny Irwin, Founder of City Surf Project
Read our interview with City Surf Project founder Johnny Irwin.
Click here to support City Surf Project.
