Translate
What a better way to start the week in sunny Phoenix than with a dip in the pool? Or in this case, a splash. Valley of the Sun United Way’s partnership with The Boys & Girls Club of Metro Phoenix has fostered the environment to provide academic success programs for children that keep their minds growing.
The Boys & Girls Club has found a wonderful program to help keep learning engaging for children through the summer, which is why they partnered with the ZAC Foundation Program to facilitate a program focused on swimming safety in and out of the pool.
The ZAC Foundation was established by Karen and Brian Cohn after the loss of their six-year-old son, Zachary Archer Cohn, who became trapped in a drain in their backyard swimming pool. This is the first time that the Boys and Girls Club has partnered with The ZAC Foundation and hope this event will continue to educate children in the Phoenix area for years to come.
In addition to in-pool lessons and safety classes with First Responders, campers will learn the fundamental tenets of water safety from a classroom curriculum based on "The Polar Bear Who Couldn’t, Wouldn’t Swim" - a children’s book co-authored by Zachary’s parents.
The event took place for 4 days this week and not only educated children on water safety, it also allowed for children to cool off in the hot Arizona summer at the Legacy Foundation Chris-Town YMCA pool.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children aged 1-4, and the second leading cause among those aged 5-14. Teaching children the safety precautions will not only help save their lives, but also give them an opportunity to have some summer fun.
Valley of the Sun United Way’s support of healthy living and academic success programs with Boys & Girls Club allows them to be able to offer these unique life skill opportunities to youth.
United Way is proud of the collaboration between the Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA to prevent Summer Learning Loss for kids in our community. This program is a great example of how we are empowering our youth to succeed in school and life by keeping them learning all summer long.
