These Malabar Intermediate School students and a few others not pictured – 27 in all – completed a week of swim lessons in the Malabar pool Friday with instructors from the Mansfield YMCA. Local resident Jeff Meredith, back right, provided a $250 stipend for the instruction.
Not all of the learning was on dry land this week at Malabar Intermediate School.
Twenty-seven students completed a week of water safety and swimming lessons – an hour each afternoon – in the Malabar pool with instructors from the Mansfield YMCA. The program was funded by a $250 stipend provided by Thrivent Financial Services through local resident Jeff Meredith.
Thrivent is a Fortune 500 non-profit, membership organization which offers financial planning services for Christians. Eligible members are allotted $250 stipends to use for non-profit projects that benefit communities.
“Thrivent scrutinizes use of the stipends. They must meet specific criteria, in this case education,” said Meredith, a member of Thrivent and St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Mansfield. “I saw this as an opportunity to use a stipend awarded to me as a way to give back to the community.”
Students who participated were selected by the Malabar faculty. Joining students in the water during the week were YMCA swimming instructors Brett Salimbene, Susanna Crouch, Julia Jungeberg, Cheryl Boyce and YMCA aquatics coordinator Ashley Pifer.
“The week was about basic water safety. Some of the kids had never jumped into the deep end of a swimming pool,” Pifer said. “The emphasis was on being comfortable, not afraid, and getting to the wall.”
Students who have limited swimming skills gained more confidence in their abilities.
Malabar physical education teacher Rebecca Clay served as lifeguard each day.
“The children were really excited and thankful for this opportunity,” Clay said. “They learned a lot about swimming and themselves. On the first day, some were afraid of the water. Now, they trust in themselves.”
On Friday the students received T-shirts bearing the Thrivent mantra “Live Generously.”