Earlier this school year, Aidan Higgins, '22, approached Xavier High School Academic Dean Kyle St. George with a proposal. 

After researching the Surfrider Foundation, which works to protect and preserve the world's oceans, waves, and beaches, Higgins wanted to start a new chapter at Xavier. And he wanted to know if St. George would serve as moderator.

At the start, the dean didn't know too much about the foundation and everything it does to sustain marine and coastal ecosystems. But he did know one thing. If Higgins was leading the way, the Xavier Surfrider Chapter would have a hardworking crew assembled soon enough. So Dean St. George was in. It didn't take long for Higgins and the rest of the group to prove him right. 

In its first year as a club, the Xavier Surfrider Foundation Club has already made strides by cleaning up trash around the state. The club held its second clean-up of the year Jan. 23 at Pettipaug Yacht Club in Essex. Despite strong winds and frigid temperatures, Higgins and the rest of his classmates, mostly from the Class of 2022, made good on their commitment to the foundation, picking up about 450 lbs. of trash. 

The crew included Higgins, Dylan Levesque '22, Sam Rector '22, Charles Puckhaber '22, Wyatt McElroy '22, Michael McCauley '22, Liam Sheeley '22, Hartley Torrison '22, Kyle Kirejczyk '22, Matt O'Connor '22, Kyle Bulkovitch '23, and Selorm Dogbey '22. 

Together, the group has not only gotten involved in a worthy cause to help coastal preservation and ocean protection, they have made a difference.

By Matthew Conyers