Asphalt Green Wavemakers: Empowering Second Graders with Swimming Skills

The ability to swim is often perceived as a hobby –  after all, it is an ability that enables you to enjoy beaches, pools, and water parks; essentially, to swim is to be able to partake in all sorts of water activities. However, it’s easy to take for granted that swimming is also a survival skill; although water is also a source of fun, it can also present danger to those who are unprepared. 

As part of the Asphalt Green Wavemakers class at Lehman College, our participants at PS/MS 37 are on their way to becoming pro swimmers.  This class is part of a larger NYC initiative to promote free, comprehensive swimming lessons to second graders across the city – with the purpose of equipping the next generation of New Yorkers with the skills necessary to enjoy the water safely. 

From Play to Survival: The Dual Purpose of Swimming

As we mentioned earlier, swimming is an essential life skill. The ability to swim could potentially save a person’s life in the event of full water immersion. In addition to precaution and supervision, one can feel safe knowing that a child is able to navigate an emergency situation. Yet, aside from instilling this essential skill, the Asphalt Green Wavemakers program also helps to build a child’s confidence and discipline, mainly through hands-on instruction and application. By focusing on accessibility, this program also helps to bridge the gap for families who otherwise would not have pursued swimming lessons.

How NYC Is Making Swimming Lessons Accessible to All

This new program is a part of Asphalt Green’s larger Safe Swim NYC Initiative, which is a mission to provide all New Yorkers with safe swimming opportunities. In order to make sure that all NYC residents enjoy water-based activities, the organization seeks to diminish the barriers to access – mainly through training lifeguards and providing swimming lessons to children and adults. This not only ensures that participants can enjoy pools and beaches safely, but that all New Yorkers might be able to access these spaces: Within the last couple of years, many public pools and beaches have been shut down due to a national lifeguard shortage. Thus, this program is designed to help entire communities gain safe access to water. 

In the meantime, we feel lucky to help the next generation of New Yorkers become experienced swimmers!!!