Bronx swimming program shows why accessibility matters: "It should be mandatory for all kids"
NEW YORK - A swimming program in the Bronx is speaking about the importance of access to pools in the borough.
Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club offers accessible swimming lessons
There's new energy inside the pool at Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club. From the coaches to the swimmers, it's an environment that cultivates growth and trial-and-error.
"We expose them to something that wasn't available and accessible," said Eddie Oyola, the Aquatic's Directors at Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club.
For many of the athletes, it's the first time they've ever learned how to swim. Each session at the Boys and Girls Club has between 40-50 kids.
For 9-year-old Cookie and her 10-year-old brother Ryan, they didn't always used to lead the pack in the pool. Their mom Elizabeth Wong-Manning says it took dozens of classes and different programing for them to get comfortable in the water.
"They had an extreme fear of not being able to touch the bottom of the water," said Wong-Manning.
But Wong-Manning says her kids blossomed at the Boys and Girls Club. She explains one of the biggest reasons why she enrolled her kids in swim classes is because it's a critical life skill.
"I see that people that look like me, there's a lot of us that drown, so I didn't want that same situation for my children," said Wong-Manning.
CDC report highlights disparities in drowning deaths
In a report published in May, the CDC says children 1-4 years old have the highest unintentional drowning death rates in the United States, specifically among non-Hispanic American Indian, Alaska Native and Black people.
"We don't have accessibility because it's expensive," said Wong-Manning. "It should be mandatory for all kids to learn how to swim, so that they can all have that chance to save themselves."
Oyola says the club has made swim prices affordable compared to nearby programs, and is working to reverse the fear of swimming one person at a time.
"This neighborhood is predominantly Latino, Hispanic and African American ... If the parent is uneducated about it, so is the kid," he said.
As for Cookie and Ryan, the perception and ability to swim for them has changed significantly.
"I feel like I'm just moving really straight and fast," said Cookie.
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