MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
The YMCA of Hutchinson and Reno County has introduced a new aquatics program called splash.
David Foster the Executive Director of the YMCA explains what the program entails, "So this is a program that we just brought over to the Hutch Y, we do it at a lot of our other greater Wichita branch locations, and its free water safety classes for second graders.”
So, it's any second grader they need to be in a school that has at least 60% free or reduced lunch. And the good news is, all of our schools here in hutch, all of our elementaries qualify. So, we started with Ferris Elementary, which is here today, and Lincoln McCandless.” said Foster
The splash program isn't swimming lessons, it's a water safety class for the students.
Foster said, We’ve got 95 students between the two schools that will have gone through the six-week program. It's just wrapping up this week. So, they're learning basic water safety skills. So not just swim lessons, per se, but they are learning how to be safe in and around water, and how to get themselves to safety if they find themselves in water that would be over their heads, whether they can swim or not."
The classes not only teaches water safety, but sometimes it helps reduce the fear of people being around water.
“A lot of times, we find kids that maybe have never been in a body of water, not much less a pool. So they can come with some fears, but we want to make sure that we're removing those and making sure they understand.” Said Foster, “You know, pools and water can be fun and it's very attractive, but it can also be very dangerous if it's not, you know, done with some supervision or done with some safety and care. And we want to make sure that we're making sure kids are aware of that and also their parents.”
We asked Aquatic Supervisor and instructor Charlotte Powell, how the first session was going.
“I think they've had a blast. Said Powell, “They listen. They do a good job. As you can see, they kind of, we kind of back it back to back and they do a good job sitting quietly and patiently and waiting for their turn.”
This is a class so we asked Powell what the students would be tested on. They had a pre-test at the beginning, and the day that we were there they would be giving the post-test to the students. So we asked Powell what they would be tested on.
Powell said that they test on blowing bubbles, and back float, swimming seven feet. and the pool rules.
Foster said that they invite them back to do a free session of swim lessons too, once they complete this class, so they will get a voucher so they can come back to the Y and continue what they learned in an actual swim lesson.