Children in the Santa Clarita Valley will have the chance to help set a world record on Tuesday, June 18.
Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking Santa Clarita news alerts delivered right to your inbox.
The Academy Swim Club on Smyth Drive in Valencia is hosting the a portion of the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, and official Guinness World Record event taking place at pools and waterparks on five different continents, to help bring attention to the importance of teaching children to swim.
“Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death for children under the age of five in the state of California,” said Nikki Miller, executive director for the Academy Swim Club. “The World’s Largest Swim Lesson will bring attention to these remarkable statistics.”
Justine Kerrick, special programs coordinator for the Academy Swim Club said that boundaries are one of the best ways to prevent drowning, having fences and gates around pools and locks on toilets.
Constant supervision is also essential. Never assume that a child is safe or that another person is supervising.
The best way to prevent drowning though, is to teach your child to swim early, so that they will know what to do if they become stranded in the water.
Miller called these guidelines the “safer three.”
“‘Safer children’ is educating our children about water safety and how to swim. ‘Safer response’ is all of us adults learning CPR. ‘Safer pools’ is making sure every body of water has a barrier, and protecting our children from drowning,” she said.
The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is now in its fourth year, after setting a record of 24,873 participants in 2012. Academy Swim Club participated last year with 43 children and parents and are excited to do so again this year. They are hoping for an even larger turnout.
To learn more about the Academy Swim Club or to sign up for the event call 661-702-8585 or send an email to info@swim4life.com.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.
[node:title]
Article: [node:title]
Source: Santa Clarita News
Author: [node:author]