Pilot Program Promotional Video
This is the 2010 Spring Pilot Program Video edited by Jon Steuber and Will Kidney. Although the pilot program concluded May 19 the VSP continues operation year round. During the Chilean winter (June, July and August) the students continue with their weekly swimming lessons, English classes, and academic tutoring. The surfing will resume in September when the air starts to warm up and the surf drops to levels more conducive to learning.
-WT
San Francisco Fundraiser June 9th
Come join the Valpo Surf Project team for a guest-bartending event at Tonic in San Francisco on Wednesday, June 9 from 5-8 PM.
During guest bartending, all tips for the VSP bartenders–cash and credit–will go to benefit the Valpo Surf Project’s scheduled programming for the upcoming year.
Enjoy 2 for 1 drink specials from 5-7 with the VSP directors behind the bar, hear more about the success of the 2010 pilot program, and bid on some of the great items from local businesses and restaurants we have for silent auction.
Stick around for Tonic’s trivia night, every Wednesday from 8-9:30. [...]
Los Angeles Fundraiser June 5th
Come support the Valpo Surf Project on Saturday June 5th from 5 to 8 pm. We invite you for an evening of photos, videos and a presentation on the successes of their recent pilot program and their plans for the upcoming school year in Chile.
SAVE THE DATE
When: Saturday, June 5th, 5 – 8 pm
Where: The Gilberts
200 S. Windsor Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
The Valpo Surf Project is a non-profit organization whose goal is to use academic mentoring and surfing
instruction to encourage English language skills, personal character development, and environmental consciousness among underprivileged and at-risk youth [...]
Cinnamon Rainbows Thank You
The Valpo Surf Project would like to thank Phil Carey and everyone at Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Shop in Hampton, NH for the donation of wetsuits and leashes they made to the VSP’s pilot program. The neoprene donated by the shop has helped to keep the VSP kids warm and stoked throughout the four months of the pilot program and we’re all grateful for the contribution.
When Brian Nevins, New Hampshire-based professional surf photographer, had donated a print for silent auction and left it at the Cinnamon Rainbows shop for the directors to grab, we thought we were just stopping [...]
Past Two Weeks of Surf Classes
The past two weeks we’ve been extremely lucky with the weather for our surf classes. The majority of the days down here are cold, foggy and rainy, and we’ve had the students prepared for the possibility of the cancellation of surf classes. However, we’ve woken up to sunshine and relatively warm weather on both of the “surf days”. The kids are improving at a rapid pace. They are getting a feel for paddling out alone, getting seated comfortably on their boards, spinning for waves, popping up, etc. The biggest thing for us is seeing their comfort [...]
Random Photos/Short Update
It’s been a busy few weeks for us here. English, swimming, and surfing have all been great, and even though the days are getting colder the energy within the VSP remains high. I wanted to take a moment to post some photos from our various activities for you all to enjoy. The progress, enthusiasm, and commitment of our students is truly amazing and we hope you will consider getting involved – be it here in Chile or back in the United States at one of our events throughout the summer. Stay tuned, as I will continue to [...]
DuocUC/VSP Partnership
The Valpo Surf Project is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Public Relations department of DuocUC, a division of Pontificada Universidad Católica de Chile, one of the nation’s foremost universities. Three of the VSP directors spoke at the welcoming ceremony for the incoming class of Public Relations students, to explain the organization’s mission and objectives, and encourage the students to consider the role of social responsibility and community outreach as a foundation of business practice.
Following the welcoming ceremony, members of the DuocUC Public Relations department organized a social gathering to meet the VSP participants and generously [...]
Second Surf Session
This past Sunday we returned to the beach with 12 of our kids. Thankfully the waves were a hair smaller than last time and everyone was able to relax a bit more (the buoys were still reading around 12 ft. @ 16 secs). The sun was out and we spent the whole day outside. Kids rotated through cleaning the beach, playing soccer, and surfing. Almost everyone popped to their feet and it was great seeing the kids so stoked. The kids were lined up waiting in the shore pound to get back on a board. [...]
First Surf Session
So this past Saturday we made our way out to one of our favorite breaks best suited for learning with six kids in tow. We picked up Vicky, Catalina, Jocelyn, Jesus, Gustavo and Claudio around 10 am, and we were at the beach by 11:30. After a beach clean, a quick session on a how to care for the gear, and some dry land surf instruction, we started getting ready to jump in the water.
All it took was one look at the water and we knew we had to make some adjustments to our game plan. The waves were pretty [...]
Alexandria Alberto To Run Santiago Half Marathon For VSP
The Valpo Surf Project’s official runner, Alexandria Alberto, is taking to the streets of Santiago to run a half marathon for the VSP. Her goal: to raise $5,000 to go towards the purchase of a much needed mini-bus to transport the VSP students to and from swimming classes, community service projects, and surf lessons.
Alexandria is a native of Concord, Massachusetts and a junior at Bates College She is currently studying abroad in Valparaíso, Chile. While cross training here in Chile she has decided to run the Santiago Half Marathon in the name of the Valpo Surf Project. She has dedicated [...]