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rode the biggest and best wave of her surfing career.

“I was so high up in the air and I just dropped in on it and stayed on the board,” she said with a smile as big and bright as her personality.

the Lady of Mercy Academy senior will be heading off to the College of New Jersey next year as a double major studying deaf education and stEM education.

Howerton said the organization has taught her to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, some of the kids have been coming out for years and have become very good.

“It's a challenging sport,” he said with a laugh. “ some people do it their whole life and they still stink at it.”

While explaining surfing and the challenges it offers he quickly compared it to the sport of basketball.

He said what differentiates surfing from a lot of other sports is the playing field. In basketball the floor and hoop are stationary where in surfing things are constantly mov- especially when it comes to the bigger waves and soon she will be transitioning from student to volunteer and is excited to help others surf. she will be joining a star studded cast of volunteers that includes pro surfer Rob Kelly who watched the action and gave instructions from the shore.

“ t hey're doing awesome,” said volunteer and surf instructor Jason Levy, of Margate, adding that ing around, underneath and over you.

And that’s what makes what happens on the waves even more special for everyone involved.

“Whether they stand up or whether they just ride on their belly, just to see them smile and make that connection is really what we're looking for.