Under the Surface

Each summer, young explorers from Northwest Passage set out for adventures that few have experienced. They bravely submerge themselves in rivers and lakes to learn about and document underwater ecosystems. The stunning photographs that result from these expeditions have been featured in books, films, and witnessed by over one million people at exhibits around the United States. These photographs represent the kids' exploration and discovery of the underwater world, and of themselves.

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"This is Me" by Kim, 15 | Under the Surface 2016

This is me,
I’m strong,
I’m brave,
I’m kind,
I’m caring,
I’m exactly who I want to be.
This is me,
I’m not gonna let anyone drag me down,
I’m perfect the way I am,
And I won’t let anyone make me believe different.
I’m gonna stay true to who I am, ‘til the day I die.

About Kim: "When I first came here I was beyond depressed with thoughts of “I’m not good enough, no one loves me, I don’t deserve to be here.” These thoughts went through my head a million times a day. I didn’t want to feel like that anymore, I wanted to be happy. So I started to participate in programming and started trying to use my DBT skills. I started to talk to my therapist and being completely honest about how I was feeling. My thoughts toward myself were more positive. I can now accept staff feedback without flipping out and have learned how to rely on myself instead of others all the time. All the things I used to take advantage of, I now appreciate. I still have things to work on but I look back on how far I’ve come, from when I first got here until now, I am so proud of myself for putting myself out there and getting the help I needed."

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Under the Surface