With holidays on dangle and different venues closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s truthful to mention that it hasn’t been a standard summer season for someone—particularly scholars. Right through every other summer season it will be customary for teams of pals to spend the day at an amusement park or hang around on the films; this summer season has been conversely characterised via lengthy days caught within and never-ending hours on Zoom. Despite those demanding situations, one pupil has discovered a strategy to keep energetic and sure.

Meet Evan Stout, a neighborhood surfer and highschool junior. You’ll have observed him round: he can incessantly be discovered together with his pals, strolling down Major Side road in a wetsuit and wearing a surfboard or boogie board. Like many scholars, Evan’s summer season has been a peculiar one. Ahead of the pandemic hit, he was once having a look ahead to a shuttle to Hawaii, completing his lacrosse season and an internship in New York. Evan was once discouraged via his aborted summer season plans: “I used to be dissatisfied about neglected alternatives that will were in reality amusing to do.”

Relatively than specializing in alternatives misplaced, Evan spoke back with pleasure to new alternatives to surf: “I’ve been browsing for 3 or 4 years, and it’s simply amusing to get out within the water, from time to time when it’s nonetheless darkish, and feature the chilly water hit my frame. It makes me omit about faculty, and the whole lot happening. I’ve been bodyboarding for nine months, and it has made me a distinct particular person in some way. I take a look at the sea and I take a look at other people otherwise from those studies. I’ve made pals in the neighborhood.” Evan additionally provides a few of his unfastened time to volunteer in the neighborhood, serving to movie on-line products and services at Grace Neighborhood Church of Seal Seaside, as congregants are not able to wait because of pandemic-related restrictions.

Because the pandemic continues to disrupt customary lifestyles in Seal Seaside, let’s all seize a face masks and surfboard and “hold free” like Evan.