A Taiwanese diving company based in Kenting, a renowned diving destination in southern Taiwan, pioneered a unique underwater graduation ceremony to foster marine conservation awareness among elementary school students.
For the past four years, they have assisted Kenting Elementary School in organizing this extraordinary event, where, for the first time, all participants received their certification underwater.
CEO Chen Chi-en 陳琦恩, delighted to see the smiles on the children’s faces upon resurfacing, established the “Blue Fund,” 藍色基金 allocating 20% of the company’s net profits towards beach cleanups, marine conservation, and educational initiatives, extending their support to all elementary schools in the Hengchun Peninsula free of charge.
In addition to establishing a state-of-the-art educational facility in Kenting aligned with international standards, the Taiwanese diving company has also opened branches in Xiao Liuqiu and Green Island in Taitung.
Chen Chi-en, who serves as the CEO overseeing nearly a hundred employees and hotel operations, has disrupted traditional diving business models by allocating surplus funds to marine conservation.
All 16 graduating students obtained their diving certifications underwater.
The company deployed 16 diving instructors to provide one-on-one supervision, capturing the entire process on video. Each dive lasted for 40 minutes with a single tank.
When the students came ashore, they exclaimed, “It’s not enough!,” eagerly posing for photos with their instructors. In that moment, Chen turned to his employees and proudly stated that witnessing the children’s laughter and joy by the sea made everything worthwhile.
CEO Chen Chi-en (right) accompanied them throughout the entire process.
Principal Hsu Shu-chen 許淑真 of Kenting Elementary School explained that due to the school’s proximity to the ocean, the curriculum has always revolved around marine education.
The preparation for the marine graduation ceremony took six months, with extensive training and meticulous planning conducted by professional instructors, ensuring the utmost safety and providing peace of mind for parents and teachers. Thanks to the dedication of previous principals, there are also several teachers who share a love for the sea.
In the small school of 12 classes, multiple teachers have obtained open water diving certifications and actively participate in diving activities, fostering diverse student learning interests.