Growing up on the beach at Nitinat, then, waterfront in Port Alberni and China Creek, 17 yr old Sam has been sailing his whole life and started kiteboarding over the past couple of years. Many of the wind community know our family and have watched Sam grow and thrive over the years.

He recently discovered World Class Kiteboarding Academy based near Hood River (White Salmon, Washington) with their mission statement - "World Class Kiteboard Academy is an accredited private high school that combines academics, athletics, travel, and cultural immersion with the sport of kiteboarding. It is a school that recognizes that learning and passion must go hand in hand. It is a school that pushes alternative education to new heights with a firm belief that quality education comes from interacting with the world around us. WCKA is a school for students who are motivated to learn beyond the traditional classroom and for students who want kiteboarding to take them to new boundaries of discovery."

With our support and encouragement, Sam worked hard on his application and was awarded a scholarship to join this year's class.

He started a Gofundme page to raise money for the remaining tuition, gear and travel costs. For more information and to join his senior year journey https://www.gofundme.com/f/q54fzf-sams- ... ar-journey

This is such an amazing opportunity! Way to go Sam!!! Love that you and Rob are supporting him in this dream. We'll be donating shortly.

winddoctor wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 7:29 am This is such an amazing opportunity! Way to go Sam!!! Love that you and Rob are supporting him in this dream. We'll be donating shortly.

Winddoc, thanks so much for your support! Sam is lucky to have grown up around such a great wind community on Vancouver Island

As Sam's grade 12 journey with World Class Kiteboard Academy takes the students to their second beach stay (Cape Deprano) in Greece, his blog is evolving with pictures and descriptions of the adventures to keep us posted in the (soon to be) wind duldrums for us at home on Vancouver Island.

https://samgentleman.com/blog/

Thanks to everyone who is supporting Sam in this once in a lifetime opportunity!