Announced on September 12th, the YMCA of Snohomish County along with Everett public schools will be providing free swim lessons to all district early Childhood Education and Assistance Program students.
This comes after significant support from local students and families called for the need to help with water safety for area children.
The YMCA piloted a program with the Madison Elementary schools’ ECEAP (Early Childhood Education Accountability Program) for the 2022-2023 school year and its success prompted the Y to expand the program. The next school year will see enrollment go from 40 students at Madison to upwards of 400 students from six different schools.
“Water is everywhere and it’s our mission to make sure every child in Snohomish County has the skills to be safe in and around water,” said Tom Wunderlich, Association Director of Aquatic Advancement, YMCA of Snohomish County. “Drowning is the leading cause of death for children, but also 100 percent preventable when kids possess water safety skills.”
Wunderlich also says this is a great program for connecting the parents and schools’ partnership which strengthens the community as a whole.
Parents will also take part in this and be an essential part of the program as they too will receive instruction on water safety, life jacket fitting, and being alert around water at parent meetings.
Although for now, the program is limited to just the Everett School District ECEAP students, the YMCA works with Early Education student’s county wide in its Safety Around water (SAW) program held every June. This past June there were 600 student participants in the county.
The YMCA has served Snohomish County since 1901 through economic booms, busts, wartime and peace, and social upheaval. Thei movement is made up of people from all age groups working in partnership to ensure that everyone has the chance to live life to the fullest.
For more information on the program click here: Sno Co YMCA Water Safety
