Taking the Classroom to the Pool: Cleveland State University and AquaMissions Partner to Provide Water Safety Education for Cleveland Schools 

September 24, 2024 — As the school bells ring and students return to their classrooms, Cleveland State University (CSU) and AquaMissions are taking education to an unexpected place—the pool. This new partnership aims to teach 2,500 Cleveland Metropolitan Schools’ 4th graders essential water safety skills and swim instruction at CSU's state-of-the-art aquatics center, integrating critical life skills into their curriculum. AquaMissions is a local nonprofit dedicated to saving and changing lives through water safety and swim instruction.

Stephanie Brooks, dean of the College of Health at CSU, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership. "We are pleased to welcome CMSD scholars to our campus. Providing them with access to our world-class aquatics facilities and expertise is a significant step in equipping our youth with life-saving skills and reducing drowning accidents and deaths in our region."

As part of this collaboration, CSU will also conduct life-saving research on the effectiveness of water safety education and the long-term impact of swim instruction on youth. These studies will contribute to a broader understanding of how early swim education can reduce drowning risks and improve overall health outcomes in urban communities.

This initiative is especially important given that drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death among children, disproportionately affecting minority communities. According to cross-sectional research, 57.5 percent of Black youth and 56.2 percent of LatinX youth are unable to swim or feel uncomfortable in the deep end of a pool. Furthermore, Black and Brown children aged 10-14 are at an eightfold greater risk of drowning compared to their White peers, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.  This stark reality underscores the urgent need for programs like AquaMissions that aim to break down barriers to water safety and swimming proficiency for our lakefront community’s minority youth.

“I recently witnessed a near-drowning of a young boy and his mother who went under trying to save him. No lifeguards were present, so I and two others rushed to their aid – and just in time. It was a terrifying. I am grateful to have this partnership to save lives for our scholars.” says Desiree Powell, Executive Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics at Cleveland Metropolitan School District. “This partnership with AquaMissions and CSU is pivotal to ensuring that every scholar can learn this vital life skill. I am grateful for the many hands that are making this happen.”

"Our collaboration with Cleveland State University is a cornerstone of our broader effort to save and change lives through equitable access to swimming instruction through school-based programming," said Dr. Lynne Nagy, Founder and CEO of AquaMissions. "Learning to swim is as essential as learning to read, and we are committed to making it a reality for every child in Cleveland."

As AquaMissions prepares to roll out this program, the organization is seeking additional support from public and private stakeholders to expand its reach and impact. The partnership with CSU marks a significant milestone in creating a sustainable and repeatable model for school-based swim instruction that can serve as a standard for communities across the country.

AquaMissions Announces School-based Learn-to-Swim Pilot 
in Partnership with Cleveland Schools & Greater Cleveland YMCA

April 5, 2024 - AquaMissions is partnering with Cleveland Metropolitan Schools and Greater Cleveland YMCA to conduct a Learn-to-Swim Pilot program with CMSD students in April and May. Nearly 230 4th graders across nine classes and five schools will participate in the Pilot, emphasizing water safety education and basic swimming skills. This Pilot is part of a broader effort to bring life-saving swim instruction to all 2,500 CMSD 4th graders in the 2024-2025 school year.

“In Northeast Ohio, water is all around us. But due to generations of fears and stereotypes, combined with economic limitations, many underserved youths lack this basic and essential life skill,” says Dr. Lynne Nagy, founder of AquaMissions.

Drowning poses a significant risk for youth, especially where access to swim instruction is limited. The sad reality is, 57.5% of Black youth and 56.2% of LatinX youth are unable to swim or are uncomfortable in the deep end of the pool. Black and Brown kids aged 10-14 are nearly 8 time more likely to drown than White kids. “Our school-based Learn-to-Swim program aims to significantly reduce this risk through equitable access to life-saving water safety education and swimming skills training,” says Nagy.  

“This is an important program, and much needed for our population. I am grateful for our partners in this Pilot, and the many hands that made it happen,” says Desiree Powell, Executive Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics at Cleveland Metropolitan School District.

The program is a multifaceted approach to student personal safety and well-being, and is just as important as emergency drills, reading and math, and healthy living habits. “Students will learn safety skills such as asking permission to enter the water, swim-float-swim, and jump-push-turn-grab,” says Nagy. In additional to learning an essential life skill, students will also practice 21st Century problem-solving and thinking skills to enhance teamwork. 

Greater Cleveland YMCA is providing swimsuits and caps to all students, and Geiger’s is providing rash-guard swim shirts. Funding for busing, program facilitation, and post-assessment efforts is made possible through donations from private donors and grants from foundations across Northeast Ohio.