HAMILTON — In the winter, there’s skiing, snowboarding, and now there’s swim lessons.
Thanks to a grant and a program, the Darby School District has been able to incorporate swim lessons into its curriculum.
Darby first grade teacher Morgan Pelkey says the lessons are the highlight of her students' week.
“They have a blast. I'm pretty sure it's their favorite part of the week. Last time when we came on a Tuesday, the first time the next day, they're like, swimming, swimming? Is it swimming?” Pelkey said.
Swim lessons don’t just teach swim skills, but other skills as well.
“I think they've been really great about teaching the kids only to get in the water when it's their turn, and to be really good listeners," Pelkey said. "And I have seen them practicing several of their floats, their basic survival skills, which is great and I know it'll lead towards more down the road, but I feel like they've been really good about teaching them, the basic floating and stuff they can use right away. You know, if they got in a situation where they needed to help themselves."
It’s also a way for students to shine in school but outside of the classroom.
“I think it's been super cool and really beneficial for us. I feel like it kind of gives students a chance to shine that maybe don't typically shine as much in your academic settings some of them are really finding that this is their niche, and that's super exciting,” Pelkey told MTN.
It’s also the growth in just three lessons that makes the bus trip worthwhile.
“Just able to see, like all of them grow a ton, even just like over the three lessons, watching them get a lot braver and, you know, they're like, swimming a little ways on their own and Not quite panicking, you know, when the teacher lets go for a second. So they're doing really good,” Pelkey said.
Fer Schreckendgust with the Bitterroot Aquatic Center explained the importance of the program.
“What the end result is, we see kids with more skills. These first grade programs with Corvallis and Hamilton, we see — we have fluent swimmers. Kids we can turn our back on in the water, kids who are safer in the water. We also teach a water safety program along with it, reach or throw," Schreckendgust said. "Be cautious on ice, those kind of things...it's mostly getting these kids to float and swim and be comfortable in the water."
But these skills learned in the lessons can also be a launch pad for a lifetime of swimming in any environment.
“Hopefully progress them on to competition or whatever swim team environment, which is our goal, and the basics, save lives. It's all about saving lives,” Schreckendgust said.
Safety is also a top priority when teaching young children how to swim.
“Just getting that water, education, that safety, getting rid of that fear aspect number one, we really try to focus on the non-swimmers as much as possible," Schreckendgust explained. "We just want them to be as safe as possible in any water environment so that they are our number one priority. But we are seeing long-term effects of this program in our regular group lessons."
“I think the parents are ecstatic about it. They've been very supportive of the program and very helpful on both ends," Schreckendgust continued. "I know Darby did a post on it earlier, before this program started this season, and their parents, the parent comments on the social media were immense and so positive. It's a great it's just a fabulous program."
With a warm pool on colder days, it makes starting the swim lesson easier for students to get in and start learning basic skills.
“We're so lucky. We're able to provide it with our warm water. We have a warm indoor pool. It's 91 so it is, so we don't have to go through that cold water experience. We can get right in. It's like being in the bathtub. We're having a great time,” Schreckendgust said.
And there's only one word teaching the next generation of safe swimmers can be described as.
“It feels fabulous. Anything we can do to help our community grow and prosper. That's what we're here for. And we feel so lucky to be where we are and to provide what we can with what we have. Of course, we're always looking to expand, to provide more services in the winter,” Schreckendgust said.