Life underwater enjoyed

There are two immediate goals for West Port High School student Shelby Bradshaw.

Shelby Bradshaw

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One is achieving her master’s status in scuba diving and the other is attending the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August.

She first learned to snorkel dive when she was nine but that wasn’t enough. The youngster wanted to swim like the fish. Her father told her scuba diving would give her that opportunity.

Bradshaw’s “love” of scuba diving comes from her parents, both certified scuba divers. Summer times gave them time to pursue their hobby because summers were spent living on the Gulf of Mexico.

She took scuba classes when she was 10 and was certified by an instructor in Port St. Joe.

“I took my open water diving test in the Gulf just following a hurricane. We only had a few feet of visibility. It was quite challenging but I have enjoyed it ever since,” she said.

Other of her hobbies also center around water. A day off may find her swimming, kayaking or wakeboarding.

Around her home, Bradshaw may be caught experimenting with makeup and clothes or dancing around her room to Korean pop songs – music she found searching the Internet several years ago and has followed ever since.

It’s not surprising that one day she hopes to attend a college with a great Marine Sciences program so she can earn a doctorate in marine biology and do research work on sharks.

Bradshaw is a 10thgrader and one of 13 students from the drama department of the county magnet arts school planning to attend and perform at the prestigious festival in Scotland. She’s been in the drama program for one year and recently played the part of “Pinky” in the school’s musical production of Hairspray. Bradshaw described the experience of wearing a bright pink bob wig as making her feel like she was a “walking Betsy Johnson mannequin.”

Schools invited to perform at the festival were first nominated and then selected by several judges, said Janet Shelley, drama teacher.

Since receiving the invitation to attend the festival, the students, their parents and Shelley have worked to raise the necessary $90,000 to cover expenses.

The group still needs another $20,000 to cover their needs.

Bradshaw has helped with those efforts by selling discount cards in front of businesses and by visiting business people, participating in group fundraisers – most often performances for residents of nearby communities, such as Stone Creek and earmarking Christmas gift money as spending money for Scotland.

Besides working on the fundraising efforts Bradshaw takes vocal lessons, practices the flute and piccolo - time permitting - and stays busy with the youth group at her church, Church at the Springs.

Those wishing to donate to the cause may send donations to the West Port High School, Drama Department, 3733 S.W. 80thAve., Ocala, Fl., 34481. For more information, call 291-4000.