This is a repost from the TIDE Academy May Newsletter:

Congratulations to the Sampsons for being the Featured Students of the Month! TIDE was lucky enough to have the Sampsons for four months this year. Ben, Jacob, and Abby all came prepared to learn everyday, always thought of amazing new ideas, and were awesome surfers! TIDE hopes they all have an AWESOME summer vacation in Colorado and can’t wait to see them next year! Suerte!

Enjoy their interview!

1. How have you contributed to improvement at your school and community?

Ben: “I have shown up to class every day and I’ve done all of the activities, like the mural.”

Jacob: “I have been helpful by cleaning up at the end of the day. I try to be kind and
funny.”

2. What current issues have most the impact on students and schools today and why?

Ben: “Most schools in the U.S. and other places have too many kids in a classroom. At
TIDE there are only ?ve kids in my class, so it is easier for me to focus and learn.”

3. What in your opinion are the top 3 priorities for improvement of schools and education?

Ben: “There is a lot of wasted time in schools, schools are overcrowded.”

4. Who are your role models? Who impresses you most in how they live their lives and why?

Ben: “Jay Moriarty from the movie ‘Chasing Mavericks,’ because he learned to surf with no instruction. He had to work hard very hard every day at his job and had a good attitude.”

6. What do you like about TIDE Academy?

Jacob: “We do cool projects like making a Tamarindo ?ag out of fabric and we make cool machines. We learn a lot and it is small.”

Ben: “There are only ?ve kids in a class. We get to surf every Monday and we don’t have school on Fridays. We learn a lot and it’s fun and interesting. We do cool projects like Rube Goldberg machines, art murals, making ?ags out of fabric.

Abby: “I like that it is a small school. I like the attention that my teachers gave me.”

7. What is your favorite class?

Ben and Jacob: “Science, because we learn a lot and make interesting stuff.”

Abby: Spanish, because it is really fun to learn.

8. What is your best subject?

Jacob: “Spanish.”

Ben: “Science.”

Abby: “Everything. “ 🙂

9. Do you do any extra curricular activities outside of school?

Ben and Jacob: “We try to surf every day. We swim and swing on our rope for exercise.”

Abby: “I surf and I swim.”

10. Do you get any advice from your parents or friends about school?

Jacob: “If you learn a lot in math you will succeed in the future.”

Ben: “If you work hard in school, you will succeed in the future.”

11. What advice do you have for the other students at TIDE Academy?

Jacob: “It’s a hard working school and it’s loud and fun.”

Ben: “It’s a very hard working school and it’s fun.”

12. What are your favorite things to do outside of school?

Ben and Jacob: “SURF and swim and swing!”

Abby: “Swim.”

13. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Ben and Jacob: “Teaching people to surf in Tamarindo.”

Ben: “Sur?ng in competitions, and working for my dad building websites.”

Jacob: “Sur?ng in competitions and taking pictures of people sur?ng.”

Abby: “I see myself teaching people gymnastics.”

14. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Ben: “I want to be a movie producer in Tamarindo making surf movies and work for my dad making websites for my movies.”

Jacob: “Sur?ng and a photographer for movies.”

Abby: “I would like to be an art teacher in a school.”