Miscellanous

(this is American surfer student who lives in area of Port Orange, Fl and I used to live out of Daytona beach when I was really younger. I think the American Surfer student dont really understand the real world look like. He needs to explore to learn their culture and education for better life;Therefore, he would able to study the histories at other countries like Indonesia, Japan, and South America, where the surfers would able to knowledge the world look like. I am really glad that I am finish up school at High school, Community College, and University. I would say, I trulty am apprection that Nancy Locker helped me a lot at Community College for study the english and Social Science and Now, I know a lot of histories myself in real world. thanks Nancy Locker!!!!)

I am a high school algebra teacher in Port Orange, Fl. I am right outside Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach. I have a young man in class who has told me that he does NOT need to learn in school because he has a surfing sponsor and will be making more money than all of us combined. I hoped you might shed some light on this. I appreciate your help.
asked by Paula Rager, Spruce Creek High School



Kelly Slater replies "sincerely and lightheartedly":


Please let your student know that life is much longer than he is thinking about and that you never know what opportunity will come to you. I have friends who have set their sites on surfing and then become paralyzed. I have friends who have succeeded beyond their dreams, too, but usually that doesn't happen to someone who is blind to the rest of life.

It would be arrogant and silly of me to think that surfing is the only thing even for my life that is going to bring me freedom and prosperity. There are many other areas that you can learn a lot of exciting things from and transition them into your life. School is not a difficult thing to finish. It is much more difficult sometimes to just admit we are being arrogant and we have a lot to learn. That is also the way to garnering real respect from others and until we realize that we can receive a lot of wake up calls.

I hope you are able to see that surfing may just be something that is fun and good for now but might not be permanently. After all, when you're done with that you'll have to know what to do with your money and the rest of your life.

Life skills are more important than surfing skills any day of the week cause when you're down, people will remember how you acted when you were on top. I don't know exactly the situation here but if you really want to force the issue, we can have a surf-off. If you beat me, I'll keep my mouth shut and let you figure it out.... :) Have fun. See ya.