2020 marks the fourth year the Kroc Center has been able to partner with Grand Rapids Public Schools to teach basic swim lessons to second-grade students. The program started with Brookside Elementary in 2017, then grew to three schools in 2018, and four schools in 2019.
Last spring, 225 total students participated from Brookside, Burton, Buchanan, and Dickinson Elementary Schools. Each class spends one hour a day at the Kroc Center for a full week, learning the basics of how to be safe around water and setting a foundation to develop simple swimming skills.
The students also receive a certificate for a free six-week swim lesson session at the Kroc Center to use during the summer. This year, we’re adding Mulick Park Elementary as a fifth school! All the lessons take place from late March through the middle of May.
“Thank you for teaching me how to swim. It was so much fun!”
Emmanuel, 2nd grader