24 June 2014

The Kroc Center is partnering with schools throughout Kootenai County to bring Third Grade Swim to more students than ever before. Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the IRONMAN Foundation, as well as donations from several local supporters, the program will help more than 1,100 students learn to swim. This year’s enrollment is nearly double the number of students who participated last year.

Tragically, Idaho suffers the second highest rate of childhood drownings in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 1992, 48 people have lost their lives in Kootenai county waters and research has shown that if a child has not learned to swim by the third grade they most likely never will. With North Idaho's abundance of rivers and lakes, providing children with an opportunity to learn basic water safety is an issue of profound importance to both Kootenai County schools and the Kroc Center.

     

"The Kroc Center's 86 degree Cove Pool is the perfect location to teach children about water safety before our local open water beaches open," said Kroc Aquatics Manager Nancy Lowery. "We have a seasoned staff of swim lesson teachers who follow a set curriculum developed by master swim instructors. Our instructors are certified in Water Safety Instruction and incorporate safety into every skill. Children will not only participate in learning skills such as breath control and floating, but will also have a daily lesson about water safety.”

With more than 90% of students arriving without any prior swim lessons, The Kroc Center's Third Grade Swim program is designed to improve the aquatics skills of all children, from novice swimmer to more experienced students. The program is about learning to be safe so that children can have fun in our natural resources. "At the end of the week, our third grade students leave not only with additional skills to help them be safe in and around water, but also with a smile on their face," Lowery said.

     

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Want To See More?

Check out this short video about the Third Grade Swim Program at the Coeur d'Alene Kroc Center.