NYSP

I was not able to access the blog until today so this post will be a reflection from June 29th.


For the past two weeks, I have had the pleasure of teaching the swimming portion of NYSP. I worked with a few other staff members to teach the beginners group. I was amazed that so many kids did not know how to swim and that many of them were afraid of the water. I grew up always having access to a pool, whether it was a neighborhood pool or our own personal pool in the backyard. The thought that not everyone has the same opportunities or resources that I had never really crossed my mind. Teaching kids to swim started out as a challenge because of these differences in our backgrounds. It took a lot of time in the beginning to even get the kids in the pool. But as the two weeks went on, I was so proud of the growth that was taking place in the kids. Those who were once afraid of the water or who said they "couldn't do it" were now able to go under water without plugging their nose, they were able to kick and use their arms properly, and they were gliding in the water. They were swimming! It was an absolute joy to see them proud of themselves and proud in each other! It really showed me that what we were doing was making a difference in these kid's lives. It wasn't the fact that they could swim that made a difference, it was us encouraging them and in return, them pushing themselves to achieve something that they didn't think they could accomplish. They were starting to have confidence in themselves! It was extremely awarding to see the changes being made in these kids. I can only hope that when we switch to the education portion, that we see the same progress.