CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Ten-year-old Chesapeake resident Grace Franco has come a long way since her mom first enrolled her in swim lessons at the Chesapeake YMCA more than six months ago.
“She started off just being at the shallow end and a lot of playing at the steps,” said her teacher Ro Marquez.
Since then, she's come a long way!
“We’re working with her on going the length of the pool and even treading water in the deep end. She’s doing great,” said Marquez.
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When Grace’s mom looked for swim lessons, her first choice was the YMCA. After all, the Y is credited with inventing group swim lessons in 1909, so it's kind of their thing.
“First, it was about water safety—making sure that if she were ever to fall in, she would know exactly what to do to get herself to safety. Her having special needs is a big concern," said her mom, Joelene Franco.
The Y offers swim lessons year-round, from beginner (we’re talking 6 months old) to advanced classes, and they provide free and discounted classes for those who can’t afford them.
And while swimming is fun, that’s not the only reason one of the YMCA’s core goals is providing affordable and accessible swim lessons.
“The number one cause of accidental death for children under the age of 5 is drowning, so we focus on safety around the water,” said the instructor.
Teaching people how to survive and thrive in the water resonates with Grace’s instructor too.
“I was born and raised in Puerto Rico,” she said.
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She's also a 20-year Coast Guard veteran, making her an ideal person to teach young ones how to swim with confidence.
“I understand the respect you have to have for water. I understand the fear some people may have toward water, but that’s one of the things that motivates me: trying to help people conquer those fears,” the instructor said.
As for Grace, she has an ulterior motive for working hard during her lessons.
“We do have a special goal. We want to pass the swim test so we can go down the—what?—slides! You want to go on all the slides by yourself,” said Grace's mom.
For her mom, Grace’s swimming success means peace of mind.
“I feel like we’re at the point where if she fell in somewhere, she would be able to get to safety quickly,” her mom said.
The YMCA and Miss Ro are going to great lengths to make sure everyone stays afloat, which makes them positively Hampton Roads.
For more information on swim lessons at the Y, click here.
