BERLIN – It was 2:45 on a Wednesday afternoon and volunteers from the Ocean City Surf Club (OCSC) raced around the classroom, setting up tables as students and their parents filed through the door.
For the parents and guests, the area looked like a normal science classroom. But for the past nine weeks, it was a home for “the tribe.”
Now finishing their final week, second-year graduating students of Stephen Decatur Middle School’s “Surf into Integrity” afterschool program celebrated with a commencement ceremony.
As the students took their seats, each pulled out their book, entitled “Surfer’s Code: 12 Simple Lessons for Business and Life” by former world champion surfer Shaun Tomson.
One by one, the students returned their books for next year’s class to use.
After leading the gangs and narcotics prosecution unit for many years, Wicomico County Assistant State’s Attorney Rich Brueckner, founder of the program, said he was tired of seeing teenagers go to jail.
“What I learned from being an assistant state’s attorney is that decisions are made by ninth grade,” he said. “If you think you are going to put on a class in ninth grade about drugs or gangs, you are already too late.”
In an effort to be proactive about the situation, Brueckner found himself in Assistant Principal Theresa Torpey’s office with a plan to teach students integrity.
“I believe he said, ‘Trust me, I’m a lawyer,’” she joked. But that is exactly what she did.
With the help of teacher Patrick Lieb, OCSC volunteers and sponsorships from K-Coast Surf Shop and Plak That, Brueckner and his students completed the program’s second year last Sunday.
For the past nine Wednesdays, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., students in the program would gather in one of the middle school’s classrooms to discuss chapters from their reading.
Each chapter coincided to a life lesson, of which students were challenged to pursue for the next three days.
On Sundays, the students would then meet on the beach to discuss how they used that week’s lesson. Afterwards, each student would have the opportunity to surf with donated boards and wetsuits.
Lessons learned through the program give middle school students what Brueckner calls a “toolkit” for life.
“It does so many things,” he said. “The byproducts are beyond my wildest dreams.”
Brueckner said parents who were once uninvolved in their child’s life are now participating in the surf program, and ultimately, their child’s wellbeing.
“If you don’t have your kid’s back, who is going to?” he said.
Since last year, the program has grown from four to 11 volunteers and two students from last year’s graduating class, Ashton (Ash) Harrison and Robyn Hurley, returned to help.
“It has been the best two years of my life,” Harrison said.
As each of the graduates stood in front of the room to receive their plaque and handful of gifts, they shared their favorite chapter and lessons they learned from the program.
“It is developing an emotional vocabulary,” Brueckner said. “Most kids that age are staring at their cellphones and moping around, giving one-word answers. They learn to look you in the eye and put words to their emotions, both good and bad.”
As one of the last recipients, Serena Arellano, stood up for recognition, she said, “[Integrity] means to be responsible and be yourself, and it taught me to take risks.”
Stephanie Lisi, a volunteer with Surf into Integrity, applauded the students for their candor and honesty.
“It united us in only a way a tribe can be united,” she said. “For that, this is not good bye, but good luck and aloha. I can’t wait to see you all again. And please remember the motto of our program: give respect, get respect.”
