All third graders in the La Grande School District get to enjoy swim lessons during the school year thanks to the longstanding Learn to Swim program made possible by Soroptimist Club of La Grande. Partnering with the district, the organization provides funds for every student to have eight lessons over the course of two weeks at Veterans Memorial Pool in La Grande. Soroptimist Club has a goal of fostering water safety and preventing drowning deaths in children, which is why they fund the program.
Brett Smith, Principal at Island City Elementary, coordinates the program for the district. He explained that third graders from all three elementary schools participate, which is about 160 children this year. Each class comes separately via school bus to the pool and students are put into skill levels for the lessons. Smith said some of the kids have never been in a pool before.
The lessons are taught by staff from La Grande Parks and Recreation, and lifeguards during the lessons are also staff members.
“It’s been great working with Parks and Rec. They do a great job collaborating with us and getting the swim instructors and other staff lined up. It’s a great program to help kids get familiar with the water and learn some basic skills,” Smith said.
Mark Tanner, Recreation/Aquatic Superintendent at La Grande Parks & Recreation, said the Learn to Swim program is amazing because if it saves one life, it’s totally worth it. “An incident is probably not going to happen in a pool, but in a lake, pond or river. Just giving these kids exposure to some swim knowledge could possibly save them,” Tanner said.
On a recent cold and blustery winter day in February, third graders from Greenwood Elementary were enjoying their swim lessons at the pool. Amid the instruction and the practicing of skills, there was a lot of fun and laughter, too.
Millie, Greenwood third grader, said swimming is fun and sometimes relaxing. “I like diving and sinking for rings because it really gives you a chance to get underwater and face your fears.”
Another student, Cassidy, said she didn’t know how to swim before starting this program. She said learning how to kick in the water has been her favorite thing to learn.
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