Born in Venezuela with a passion for the ocean, Polett suffered a spinal cord injury at the age of 12 when diving in shallow waters with a heavy rip current. In spite of her injury, her love and need for the ocean continues; she was certified by the Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA) in 2011 as a basic open water diver. Wanting continued challenges, she plans to use the Fletcher grant to become an advanced open water diver. “Diving energizes me, makes me feel “abled” rather than “disabled” and gives me the strength to carry on with life out of the water; and with this grant I hope to learn advanced diving and be able to dive more with the appropriate equipment.” She looks forward to pursuing more training while encouraging others with disabilities to do the same; to enjoy the wonders of the underwater world.