Keys Kids Swim is a water safety and swim lesson program that provides FREE swim lessons to kindergarten students. During the pilot program in May 2023, kindergarten students from Key Largo School received swimming lessons and water safety training five days a week for 45 minutes a day for two weeks. 67 students graduated from the program on May 12, 2023.
The pilot Keys Kids Swim program was a collaboration between Florida Keys Kids, Jacobs Aquatic Center in Key Largo, Monroe County School District, and Monroe County Parks and Beaches.
The program would not have been possible without the generous support from Keys Children's Foundation, First Horizon Bank, Monroe County Board of County Commissioners, Quiescence Diving Services, Doc’s Diner, Regan Roth Insurance, and Kenny and Stephanie Channels, and Florida Keys Kids.
Program directors hope to add additional Monroe County school kindergarteners to the program in the near future.
Water safety tips from the Florida Dept. of Health in Monroe County
- Always keep your eyes on children in and around water, including pools and open bodies of water. Actively supervising and giving children your undivided attention when in or around water can help prevent drownings.
- Never leave a child alone around water.
- If your child is missing, check other pools or surrounding bodies of water.
- Use barriers around water, including fences, self-closing/self-latching gates, and secure doors with alarms. Barriers help prevent young children from wandering into bodies of water.
- Have a phone nearby if you need to call 911 in an emergency.
- Know basic CPR.
Read the Keys Weekly article here
