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Posted by Rick Civelli | 12.14.2010 | Employment, WB Surf Camp News

WB Surf Camp Instructor of the Week for December 12th: Renee Fuccella

Renee is a natural-born educator whose passion for the environment coupled with her love of teaching made her the ideal Assistant Director of Guppy Camp this summer! Renee took charge of our young, energetic guppies, while showing them the wonders of the coastal environment and ensuring they had the time of their life. We are so excited to have her as part of the WB Surf Camp team, and we wish her the best as she prepares to graduate from UNCW in May 2011. While we hope her wish comes true of working for Teach for America, we would LOVE to have her back for another summer of Guppy Camp. And we’re not the only ones….the guppies want her back, too!  

1. What drew you to a position at WB Surf Camp? I love kids and the ocean so it was a perfect combination!! My high school English teacher told us that your career or job should be where your greatest love meets the world’s biggest need.  I care a lot for the marine environment and realize the importance of teaching both adults and kids alike how we can preserve it. Plus, I love having a job where I’m always outside, always busy, can be as goofy as I want, and be by the water!

2. When did you start surfing and where? I took my first lesson when I was about 12 years old in Avalon, New Jersey.

3. What inspired you to start surfing? I can’t even remember.  When I was little and my family would visit Ocean City New Jersey every summer, I’d go into the 7th Street Surf Shop on the boardwalk nearly every night because I loved looking at all the boards. I loved boogie boarding (and still do) and would be in the ocean every day all day with my dad on the weeks we were down the shore, which was unfortunately only about one week the whole year! My mom and sister would usually go back to the house while my dad and I were in the water, but eventually I must’ve convinced my her to let me take a surf lesson-maybe I wanted more of a challenge.  The Johnny Tsunami movie on Disney Channel may have been some sort of inspiration too….

4. Where was your most memorable session? Last summer in Cocoa Beach FL.  I went there for a day with my friends I was working with in Orlando at the time.  We just rented boards, but had so much fun.  Some of us had surfed before, others had not, but everyone got up!  Towards the end of the day a nasty Florida thunderstorm came through.  We waited it out in the shop and went back out after it had passed.  The sky had left this perfect cloudless patch right over where we paddled out and we sat up on our boards right under where the sun was coming through and just talked.  It was a definite highlight from my summer spent in Florida and surfing in general.

5. What is the worst wipeout you’ve ever had? This is an ironic story:  I went to Beach Blast my Freshmen year and took Surf Camp up on their free lesson since I wanted to get better now that I was going to be at the beach a lot more than one week out of the year.  We were paddling out and some girl let go of her board when a wave came and it hit me square on the head.  I got a big bump instantly on my head and my instructor suggested I sit out.  I was fine, but it was just a bummer.  I just think its ironic because three years ago at my first Beach Blast I was taking a lesson and got hurt, and this year at my last Beach Blast I was helping people learn to surf!

6. What are some of your interests outside of surfing? I like longboardinng and playing basketball.  I also play the piano and just recently started taking ukulele lessons!

7. What is your favorite movie? Elf and The Hangover

8. What is your favorite music? I like Jack Johnson, of course some Lady Gaga, but am also a sucker for Disney and Broadway soundtracks…

9. What is your favorite food? Penne pasta and my dad’s tomato sauce and meatballs.

10. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully working for a large zoo or aquarium’s education department, or working in marine mammal rescue.

11. In your eyes, the three things you value most are: Family and friends, Education, and the opportunities and privileges both my parents and living in this country have given me.

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