WSC Partners with a West Englewood Neighborhood School to Make a Splash and Make a Difference
By Paul Slomski, WSC Contributor
This winter, children and adults (age 3 and up) from the Englewood neighborhood have been making a splash every Saturday at the Lindblom Math and Science Academy pool, learning basic water skills, how to be safe, swim and compete in the sport of swimming. In ten weeks the program grew from 20 kids to over 70 enrolled students and almost 50 qualifying for graduation. Alan Demski, a Lindblom teacher and Chicago 2016 volunteer took the initiative and approached World Sport Chicago a few years ago about a possible program. Introductions were made and partnerships were formed with the USA Swimming Foundation’s national Make a Splash program to make it happen. Demski was able to put together a curriculum, make the pool available, secure instructors and send out flyers. The local 7th District - Englewood police have even helped out, distributing flyers, recruiting kids and providing scholarships by covering a number of the participant’s fees.
The Lindblom MS’s learn to swim program, now in its second year, is a ten week program, offered every Saturday for a minimal fee of $10 per lesson. Participants are even provided all the necessary equipment (suit, goggles and cap) if needed. Classes are set up to teach in small group sessions and are grouped by age and ability, beginner, intermediate and advanced.
hWorld Sport Chicago has partnered with the Chicago Park District, Illinois Swimming, and the City of Chicago to bring events around the USA Swimming Foundation's National Make-a-Splash Campaign. Make-a-Splash aims at increasing awareness around the issues of water-safety and participation in local Learn-to-Swim opportunities, particularly in ethnically diverse communities. By increasing the knowledge of swimming, youth have opportunities in related aquatic sports such as competitive swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, rowing and water polo. Further, swimming is a lifetime fitness sport and a great means of low-impact, cardiovascular exercise. Finally, swimming may bring financial rewards as the Chicago Park District employs one of the largest life-guarding programs in the country and opportunities for academic scholarships may be available to athletes in any of the aquatic sports mentioned above.
For more information on the Lindblom Make a Splash program, please contact Alan Demski at ajdemski@cps.edu.