Anderson Heights students take swim lessons at AAC

Photo by Paul Robeson, Sports Editor

LEARNING TO KICK: Swimming Instructor Tyler Bridges has Delevan Saefong move around the pool at Anderson Athletic Club and kick his feet.

First grade students from Anderson Heights Elementary School quietly lined up at the pool’s edge at the Anderson Athletic Club on May 23 to begin their swimming lessons.

Anderson Heights Elementary and the Anderson Athletic Club (AAC) teamed up to provide first grade students with lessons to teach students to swim. The two week “Learn to Swim” program is taught by certified swim instructors at AAC with the help of volunteers.

First grade teachers Lynn Porter and Shana Alfaro, along with their instructional aids, listened as certified swimming instructor Tyler Bridges explained to the students what they would be doing. He patted each student on the head and gave them the number of the group they were to be in when they went into the water.

Assistants Laurel Besecker and Angela Early helped in the water as did volunteer Fran Evans.

The students sat on the pool edge and rapidly kicked their feet before getting into the shallow end of the pool.

Student Bradley Owen was eager to enter the water as it was his seventh birthday and the swimming was a “real treat” for him said Porter.

Bridges had his group, which included Delevan Saefong, Abby Yost, Angelica Montes, Bradley Owen and Steven Striegal, kick while holding the side of the pool and then kick as they propelled off the side.

When the first groups were finished they exchanged places with the other group eagerly waiting on the lawn of the pool area.