Muscogee County in Georgia will be offering free swimming lessons to kindergarten students after the school board voted in favor of the program Monday.
The “Learn to Swim” program will be run through three different elementary schools in the district. Rigdon Road, Saint Mary Magney School, and Wynnton Arts Academy will all be sending students with signed permission slips from parents to the nearby Columbus Aquatic Center to partake in the swim lessons.
There will be ten 30-minute lessons provided over a two week period to students during school hours from certified instructors.
The skill level of each individual will be assessed by the instructors at both the beginning and end of the two week program.
Director of the Columbic Parks and Recreation, James Worsley, told ABC news that, “it is highly important we teach our children to learn to swim at an early age. Earlier we can learn, teach individuals how to swim, it is better off that we will be as a community.”
A local corporation which Worsley has not disclosed will be covering the cost of the program. The estimated total cost of the “Learn to Swim” program is $3,776 per school, averaging 100 kindergarten students each during the 2015-16 school year.
The program will be starting this September for the upcoming school year.
That is awesome! Will save lives