“I have been scuba diving since the sixth grade,” senior Justin Haist said. “My dad has been doing it for 18 years, and that’s how the rest of my family got into it.”

To get certified to become a scuba diver you have to take three, one-hour classes, have three sessions in the pool, do book work and complete three dives in open water. Haist has a deep diver certification, which means he has done at least two dives in open water that are deeper than he has ever gone in his first class.

“One of the hardest parts about diving for me is equalizing the pressure in my ears,” Haist said.

Haist has been diving in Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado. He would like to dive in Cozumel, Mexico. He and his family are planning a graduation trip to Cozumel this year to go scuba diving.

“My favorite part about scuba diving is getting to see all the cool things you can’t see from the boat, like the reefs and fish,” Haist said.

He said he doesn’t plan on going into scuba diving as a future career, but he would like to continue it as a hobby.