How a Jericho High School student created an all-inclusive board for Long Beach surfers

Brandon Klein, 17, had an idea — one that would not only impact his own community, but also attract international attention.

Klein works as a volunteer for Surf for All, a nonprofit Long Beach organization dedicated to helping young people with disabilities learn to surf. While helping to bring joy to the program’s participants, Klein, a lifelong resident of the city, was led on a journey that resulted in the creation of a one-of-a-kind surfboard that will likely bring smiles to young surfers’ faces for years to come.

Klein debuted and demonstrated the new board at a news conference in front of the Skudin Surf shop on the boardwalk last Friday.

“I’ve volunteered almost my whole life,” Klein said. “I’ve lived here, I’ve grown up here, and I wanted to volunteer for something I love to do. Obviously, volunteering for something like Surf for All has (started) this amazing journey.”

Klein detailed one fun encounter in particular. “When I was volunteering for Surf for All, I met this young girl, and I had to act as a chair for her,” he recounted. “She was so excited by surfing that she didn’t want to stop, but as a group of volunteers, we were tired. I wanted to see how we could make this experience more comfortable for all of us, especially her.”

Klein did some research, and found the British organization Cerebra, which helps children with brain conditions, and has designed innovative surfboards. At first glance, he was astonished. He asked Cerebra if Surf for All could buy the boards. But Cerebra had only made only one overseas, as a project. Nonetheless, they offered Klein the blueprints for it.

“When we received the call, it was amazing to know that our work had been seen so far away,” Dr. Ross Head, product design manager at the Cerebra Innovation Centre in Swansea, Wales, said. “It was a real privilege to support this ambitious project.”

The blueprints weren’t the only aspect of the project to come out of the United Kingdom. Klein, Mike Becker, the owner of Nature’s Shapes Custom Surfboards in Sayville; and the team that constructed the board also received a custom seat from Tillett Racing in Kent, England. The seat is comparable to those used in race cars, and is adjustable as well, so the board can be used by surfers of various ages and sizes.

“The schematics were amazing from Dr. Head and everyone at Cerebra, and we appreciate their help on this project so much,” Klein said. “From there we contacted Mike Becker, and he was more than happy to be on board with this project. Finally, we worked together to make modifications to the blueprints, and constructed it.”

Klein has been working on the project while completing his coursework as a junior at Jericho High School. He raised money for the new board with a GoFundMe page and a series of bake sales.

“We’re all here for a great reason: to bring awareness to Surf for All,” he said at the news conference. “We want to expand the opportunities for people to go in the water despite dealing with physical limitations.”

According to Klein, the surfboard is the only one of its kind in North America. The concept has been used over the past decade across the United Kingdom, and a Cerebra surfboard was used on the beach in Shimoda, Japan. The organizations that use the boards share the goal of spreading the joy of surfing to people with special needs.

“This is a remarkable piece of equipment that will open the water to those that previously were unable to experience the joys and exhilaration of being in the ocean,” said Surf for All’s co-founder, Cliff Skudin. “It’s truly amazing how Brandon was able to make this possible.”

“I just wanted to help,” Klein said. “Everything on this project went so well, and it’s amazing to see this project with Surf for All bring smiles to all these faces.”