The Pool Safely Campaign hit the road this summer and joined some of its amazing partners as part of a global event meant to teach children how to swim and educate everyone about practicing water safety.
The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL), created and organized by Pool Safely Partner World Waterparks Association, is an inspiring event that promotes “learn to swim” in all corners of the globe. With the help of countless organizations and volunteers, past WLSL events have successfully set and broken the Guinness World Record for the largest swimming lesson.
On June 24, 2016, the Pool Safely Campaign joined two of its partner organizations – the Texas Swim Academy and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston – in Katy, Texas, for this year’s WLSL. This was the fourth year WLSL Pool Safely participated in this event and it provided the campaign with another great opportunity to work with local partners to prevent fatal and non-fatal child drownings.
Children from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston pose with a swim instructor from the Texas Swim Academy just before this year’s event.
Kathleen McMordie RN, owner of the Texas Swim Academy, hosted Pool Safely and nearly 40 boys and girls at their amazing facility, including a great group of kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston. Each young swimmer was eager to jump in the water on a hot and humid Houston morning, but the incredible instructors at Texas Swim Academy had other plans: safety first.
Swimmers were partnered with separate swim instructors to support differing levels of water confidence. Lessons provided the young swimmers with a clear understanding of how to safely enter a pool, how to properly kick and float, and of course, how to blow bubbles. To complement the morning’s swim lesson, Pool Safely’s Spanish-speaking spokeswoman Carla Coolman huddled with the kids to discuss the simple steps they and their parents or caregivers can take to be safer in and around the water.
WLSL participants learn to float as part of this year’s swim lesson.
After the 30-minute lesson in the water, kids and parents signed the Pool Safely Pledge as a symbol of their commitment to take the lessons and simple safety steps they learned and practice them when enjoying the water. The kids took important steps toward becoming better swimmers and, most importantly, learned how they and their parents can stay safer in and around the water this summer and year round.
Carla Coolman, Spanish spokesperson for the CPSC Pool Safely campaign, talks with WLSL participants and parents about the Pool Safely Pledge and how to stay safer in and around the water this summer.
To learn more about how you and your family can support safer swimming, visit our website and take the Pool Safely Pledge.