Here’s a great article from the National Swimming Pool Foundation via their public relations firm “BatterUp Productions.”
It is rare that our direct actions today can have an impact a century from now. When we teach a child to swim, we teach their children, and all the future grandchildren to swim, too. Studies show that children of non-swimmers never learn to swim, and their children as well. It is so important to break the known cycle of generations avoiding the water – rather than them delighting in it. They avoid because of fear, because of lack of access, because of money, and because they have learned to avoid the water. The National Swimming Pool Foundation remains committed to helping create swimmers through the Step Into Swim campaign. What makes creating swimmers exciting is that it accomplishes three important objectives: 1) More swimmers results in fewer drownings 2) More swimmers improves people’s physical and psychological health and therefore, can reduce health care cost inflation, and finally, 3) More swimmers fosters a demand and growth for the aquatic, pool and spa industry. On top of that, opening the door to aquatics creates one of the most magical experiences for thousands of people. This magic was created in New York State for the second consecutive summer where 8 Learn to Swim programs were held in 2014, growing from a 2 park pilot program in 2013. A total of 560 children learned to swim! Attached are some highlights from the New York State learn-to-swim program.
New York State Parks Learn to Swimm