The City of Arlington Aquatics Swim Safe Scholarship Program was chosen as one of 85 Make a Splash programs in the U.S. to receive grant money from the USA Swimming Foundation in early 2019. The awarded money will go toward Arlington Aquatics’ continued efforts to provide free or reduced-cost swim lessons. The USA Swimming Foundation awarded a total of $507,461 to programs across the country that will provide swim lessons to an estimated 25,000 children.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have been selected to receive the 2019 Make A Splash grant funding,” City of Arlington Aquatics Manager Maria Campbell said. “The money we receive will be put toward scholarshipping at-risk, low-income children in City of Arlington neighborhoods. The cost of failure to teach children how to swim is inconceivable. We have to do more.”
The City of Arlington Aquatics Swim Safe Scholarship Program, formerly called Make A Splash, started in 2008. The Arlington Parks and Recreation Department, with the help of Mid-Cities Arlington Swim Team, has been spreading the word about water safety by offering a morning of free water safety lessons and activities for 11 years. Along with this annual event, Arlington Aquatics has been part of the department’s Build A Dream Scholarship program offering reduced cost of swim lessons for 25 years. Arlington Aquatics have helped 100 kids annually with their Swim Safe Scholarship Program and are excited to expand and continue the tradition with the help of USA Swimming Foundation’s grant.
Learn to swim with confidence. City of Arlington Aquatics offers swim lessons for infants, children, teenagers and adults. With classes for those ages six months and older, you and your entire family can learn to master the skills needed to help you #SwimSafe. Classes are offered year round.
The USA Swimming Foundation vetted 241 applications through a competitive annual review process and chose 85 Make a Splash Local Partner programs to receive funding, 26 of whom are first-time USA Swimming Foundation grant recipients.
“It’s an incredible feeling to know that USA Swimming Foundation funding will be used to create a valuable swimming experience for tens of thousands of children who may not have had the opportunity to learn how to swim,” USA Swimming Foundation Executive Director Debbie Hesse said. “We are thrilled with the depth of this year’s Make a Splash Local Partner applicant pool and we couldn’t be prouder to support these exciting and lifesaving opportunities for children across the country. We owe a tremendous thank you to our partners and donors, who continue to make a difference.”
To date, 7.5 million children have received the lifesaving gift of swim lessons through the USA Swimming Foundation Make a Splash Local Partner network, comprised of 1,000 qualified lesson providers across the nation.
For more information on Arlington Aquatics Swim Safe Scholarship Program visit naturallyfun.org/makeasplash. To register for swim lessons, visit bit.ly/APRD_Swim.
Support Youth and Families
News, Parks & Recreation