National not-for-profit organization Outdoor Afro and U.S. swim provider Foss Swim School have poolside partnered for the past year to teach kids and caregivers the basics of swimming. The neighborhood result: a major splash for local families to transition their lessons confidently from community pools to waterfront parks. “Cannonball!” belted 6-year-old Making Waves Program participant Denver Post at Foss Swim School’s Rock Hill, Missouri, location. “I like swimming 100 percent. My favorite part is jumping in the pool. I feel like I’m going to the Olympics.” Since 2019, Outdoor Afro’s swim program Making Waves has funded swim lessons and water safety courses nationwide so younger generations like Denver can cultivate relationships with water at an early age. Outdoor Afro’s 2024 goal is to provide more than 1,500 new families with the same opportunity Denver had to learn and continue to develop this life-saving skill by the end of the year.

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Already, Outdoor Afro has funded more than 1,500 new swimmers this year in partnership with swim providers like Foss Swim School and certified swim instructors who put care in the forefront of each lesson. “I don’t ever want a kid to fear water,” said Kendra Williams, 21, swim instructor at Foss Swim School, “and there’s no real timeline for you to become a good swimmer. I always want to ensure they’re comfortable and safe as we segue into each lesson.” Donating at least $200 to Making Waves here provides a swimmership to a children and their guardians for a series of four to six swim lessons. Families have the option of selecting their preferred swim vendor.

“Collaborating with Outdoor Afro has helped us bolster our purpose of providing a lifetime of confidence and safety around water,” shared FOSS CEO Craig O’Halloran. “We’re passionate about helping close the gap between the racial disparities in swimming abilities and thankful to be working with partners to help us do just that.” Outdoor Afro’s CEO and Founder Rue Mapp echoed O’Halloran’s words, adding: “In addition to the urgency to save lives with the help of supporters like Foss Swim School and Winnebago Industries, we know that if a child does not know how to swim they won’t ease into a tippy kayak, cast a pole in a lazy lake, or care about the crisis of plastics filling our oceans,” Mapp said. “Positive connections with water start with learning how to swim. And Outdoor Afro is proud to continue our efforts with providers who are also true partners.”

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Through Making Waves, Foss Swim School has provided 294 students with swimming lessons across all 29 of its locations. The Winnebago Industries Foundation supports the program’s efforts by helping to fund Making Waves swimmerships through Foss. “At Winnebago Industries, we believe that time spent outdoors is time well spent,” said Jil Littlejohn Bostick, president of the Winnebago Industries Foundation. “We know the great outdoors is a place to find health and happiness and to create cherished memories with family and friends, and being comfortable in and around water is an important part of that experience. We believe in investing in programs that eliminate barriers, promote access and connect all people with the social, mental, and physical health benefits of the outdoors.”

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Open to all ages, these lessons are another way to bring awareness about U.S. drownings. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black youth ages 10 to 14 drown in swimming pools at a rate more than 8 times that of white peers. Outdoor Afro launched Making Waves five years ago in response to the growing and alarming number, providing a solution to help families unlock the joy of developing positive connections with water. “I’m so grateful for the Outdoor Afro scholarship because everybody needs the opportunity to swim and have good swim instruction,” said Williams. In addition to Foss Swim School, Outdoor Afro collaborates with the following U.S. swim providers to fund 2024 swim lessons: Black People Will Swim in New York; Evolutionary Aquatics in Charlotte, North Carolina; LEGITswim in Washington, D.C.; Oshun Swim School in Seattle, Washington; and Yu Ming Charter School in Oakland, California. “Since I’ve learned about Outdoor Afro’s Making Waves, I’ve noticed a huge change in my daughters,” said Denver’s father, Zachery Post. “In their confidence, comfortability, and desire to know how to swim.”

ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.

ABOUT FOSS SWIM SCHOOL: Jon and Susan Foss opened their first swim school in 1993. They created an age-appropriate curriculum, helping even the youngest swimmers confidently learn water adjustment, safety, strokes, and technique. With 31 years of expertise, FOSS has redefined the swim lesson experience by providing a fun, original, technically sound, and safer style of teaching. FOSS currently has 29 wim schools in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Connect with @fossswimschool on social and visit fossswimschool.com. Photos by Techboogie.