Marshalltown schools, YMCA partner for water safety lessons to save lives
The Marshalltown Community School District has partnered with the local YMCA to introduce the Safety Around Water (SAW) program for fourth graders, a life-saving initiative born from a tragic event in 2012.
That summer, four young lives were lost in the Iowa River — a 10-year-old and three cousins aged 9 and 7 drowned within three weeks of one another.
This tragedy prompted the two organizations to join forces, creating a program designed to teach critical water safety skills to prevent such heartbreaking incidents in the future.
"Kids are always curious around the water, so they really need to learn life-saving skills, " said Shelley Lechnir, the Marshalltown YMCA aquatics director.
The lessons focus not only on teaching basic life-saving skills but also on helping kids understand what to do in dangerous situations to potentially save a life.
Lessons the kids have taken to like a fish to water.
"In a situation, you don't know what to do, and a life could be lost," said fourth-grader Eliana Arellano.
Students engage actively with the lessons and enjoy the hands-on experience in the pool.
"They also talk about how excited they are. If they have a family member or friend that has an accident, they will actually know what to do," said P.E. teacher Blake Cutright.
Every fourth grader in the district will complete the program by the end of the school year.
Through this collective effort, the district and the YMCA hope to turn a heartbreaking past into a safer, more prepared future for their community.