PLANT CITY, Fla. — Summer is right around the corner, and if you live in Florida, there’s no shortage of lakes, rivers and beaches you can choose from. But not everyone is equipped with the skills they need to stay safe.
"A lot of our children do not get access to water, some do, but many of them don’t," Knights Elementary principal Dr. Janine Hall said.
Knights Elementary launched a new program. They’ve started a new five-day learn-to-swim program for first graders. Instead of regular class, for one week, the kids learn basic safety techniques in the water.
"By the end of the week, they are able to swim just a little bit, and they’re able to float so they’re safe," Hall said. "It’s more about safety at the end of the week than actual swimming.”
Statistics show children ages 1-4 are more likely to drown in a home swimming pool, compared to children ages 5-19 who are more likely to drown in natural bodies of water.
For the kids at Knights Elementary, it’s a chance to learn the fundamentals and have some fun at the same time.
"Students have loved it, they have been so excited they get to go swimming five days instead of going to class, they’ve had a blast," Hall explains.