Did You Know
In Texas drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among children.
Make a Splash is a swim lesson outreach program provided at low-income apartment complexes.
Many times children are left unsupervised in apartment complexes around swimming pools, and research shows that there is a high population of immigrant families in Dallas living in these complexes with children who do not know how to swim. Using apartment community pools, our staff actively engage and teach children from area complexes to swim at NO COST.
In 2011, the Dallas YMCA offered the Make a Splash program at 27 apartment complex pools. Over 1,900 kids were taught to swim by Certified YMCA instructors. While prior to the lessons many of the children were unable to pass the basic survival skills test, an assessment completed after the lessons produced the following positive results:
- 95% of kids could climb out of the pool independently
- 51% of kids could stream-line kick on stomach with face in the water up to 15 ft
- 91% of kids could jump in deep water and return to the wall
Safety in and around water is an important issue for all of our children, but a disproportionate number of minority children drown each year. At the Y, we believe that safe swimming saves lives and that all children should be equipped with the skills to help them safely enjoy the water. Our Make a Splash program is one of the many ways we help to make time in and around the water both fun and safe.
