The Swim LA initiative opened enrollment to offer low-cost classes for low-income youth in Los Angeles during the summer.
Swim LA is offered in the public pools of the city of Los Angeles and is aimed at children from 4 to 17 years old. The classes are divided into groups of children from 4 to 6 years old and, from 7 years old, in 5 levels that range from beginners to advanced.
Each child and young person wishing to participate in the program must undergo a test to determine the level at which it will be placed. Classes are offered under the supervision of the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department with trained lifeguards to teach these skills.
Classes begin on June 17 and registrations can be done online starting June 12 or in person at the pool closest to your home starting June 15. The classes cost about $45 but the program has sponsors like Kaiser Permanente that offers scholarships to children whose families can prove they need financial help.
In addition to swimming lessons, the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department offers training for water sports that includes swimming, trampoline, and synchronized swimming, depending on the park or facility where the pool is located.
The pools also offer classes for adults and an aqua aerobics program called Aquacise.
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), involuntary drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of death in the United States. About 10 people die daily from involuntary drowning, of which 2 are children between 1 and 14 years old, according to the CDC.
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To prevent these accidents and to train families on how to stay safe in the pools, the Parks and Recreation Department of Los Angeles will also offer two days of free training on water safety during the month of June, from 12 to 1 p.m.
These days will be on Saturdays June 8 and 30. The entrance to the pools will be free all day for people who wish to attend this training.
For more information about the schedules and places of the swimming lessons and the rest of the programs, you can click here.
