Swim lessons introduce a key life skill to minority kids

Melissa Shields described her 3-year-old daughter, Zola, as “cautious” during the few times the toddler had been in a pool.

As Saturday's free swimming lesson progressed at the Westbury High School pool, Zola became more and more comfortable as she practiced floating on her back and kicking her legs.

The collaborative event, called “JJNC Swim For Your Life,” provided water safety tips, lessons and swim gear to members of minority communities that face higher risk of drowning.

Jack and Jill Nassau County, a local chapter of the national organization Jack and Jill of America, organized Saturday’s event in partnership with the local organization Black People Will Swim. An American Red Cross swim grant provided funding for the event.

More than a recreational activity, swimming can be a critical life skill, organizers said.

"It's never too late to learn to swim," said Patricia Cooper, president of Jack and Jill Nassau County.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4. It’s the second leading cause of death for children ages 5-14 after motor vehicle crashes.

Black children ages 5-9 are 2.6 times more likely to drown than white children, and the rate climbs to 3.6 times for ages 10-14, according to the CDC.

About 60 participants, ranging from toddlers to adults, put on their suits for lessons during the two sessions. Instructors set up in each lane of the 25-yard-pool and separated the swimmers by age group.

Paulana Lamonier, a Uniondale resident who founded Black People Will Swim as “a safe space for Black people to learn,” said children were “fearless” during the first session.

“I think that’s a great place to start, working with students who are fearless and open to learning,” she said.

Traci Caines, the event chairperson, recalled the fear of water that existed in her household as a child.

“You learn that fear and it perpetuates and it continues,” she said. “And so I think we’re trying to break that barrier on any age level.”

Lifeguard Sean Johnson, 19, said swimming is a “fundamental skill that everyone should learn.”

Johnson said he started to learn to swim around age 3 and by age 6 was swimming competitively.

“A lot of children struggle getting into the water,” he said. “Whether it’s the temperature or just the fear of the unknown.”

Swimming attendant Bailee Smith, 16, helped escort kids in and out of the pool. The Freeport High School senior said the best way to learn to swim is to “be comfortable with the water.”

“Once you feel comfortable, it makes the swimming part easier,” she said. “The fear prevents you from doing it, but once you get over that, everything changes.” 

Zola, the suddenly daring toddler, stood on the pool’s edge at one point, held out her arms to instructor Jazzmine Randolph and jumped into the water. Her head briefly dunked underwater.

“To see her now embracing it fully, it’s exciting,” said Shields, a Baldwin resident, as she proudly filmed her daughter with a cellphone. “Today she seems excited to be in the water.”

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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