Program Bringing Water Safety Classes to Pinellas County Title I Schools

Hundreds of Pinellas County School students participated in the Fred Fisher water safety program in Clearwater Wednesday.

The program is two weeks long for kindergarten through second-grade students in Title I schools.

Clearwater For Youth, the City of Clearwater, the Juvenile Welfare Board, and the Florida Swim Foundation worked together to provide the instructors, funding and transportation for the program.

“The blessing is that kids can come during the school day. Parents are signing the permission slip to allow get them to get on a bus and come to receive the water safety lesson,” three-time Olympic Champion and Clearwater For Youth Development Manager Brooke Bennett said.

During their lessons, students go over rules and tips on how to stay safe when around water.

Some exercises taught during Wednesday’s class included bubble blowing and back floating.

“It is very overwhelming at times because you can see the fear on their face, but you also see the trust that they have with the instructors,” Bennett said.

One way you can help fund water safety classes in Florida is by signing up for the new “Swim For Life” license plate.

A donor has already given the funds for 3,000 plates that will benefit the Florida Swim Foundation.

“They can sign up for free, and then the second year when they renew their plate, the $30 cost, $25 dollars of that fee comes right back to our foundation and all of that money goes for swim lessons,” Florida Swimming Pool Association CEO Elizabeth McMurray said.

For details regarding the “Swim For Life” license plates, click here.

View the video segment and read the article as originally published at https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/program-bringing-water-safety-classes-to-pinellas-county-title-i-schools/