The Florida Department of Children and Families has recently disclosed that 60 people have drowned in Florida during the first half of 2024. Of the 60 fatal drownings, 47 of them involved children who were not supposed to be in or near water.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study in May that said rates of drowning fatalities were 28% higher for Black people in 2021 than in 2019. Black children ages 5-19 are 5.5 times more likely to drown in swimming pools than white children of the same age, while Black children ages 11-12 in particular are 10 times more likely to drown.
Numbers like these prompted Miami-Dade County firefighter and U.S. Air Force Reservist Christopher Griffin to found Everyone Achieves Together (E.A.T.), which has partnered with Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Space to hold free swim lessons taught by certified American Water Safety Instructors for children ages 6-17 this summer.
“This is something obviously the children need, so we partnered with Miami-Dade Parks and Rec to provide free swimming lessons for over 300 kids,” Griffin said. “This comes from the heart because this is how I learned to swim, from going to the county parks and pools. And it’s also close to my heart because I’ve had two family members that have drowned due to not knowing how to swim.”
So far, Griffin has found a good response from parents.
“They run around trying to figure out what to do with the kids for the summer, and they see a program that’s free with trained swimming instructors,” Griffin said. “It’s local and has easy access such as these parks. They’re excited and happy and I’ve received good feedback.”
Trenda Mathis learned of the program when she took her great nephew Amari to the West Perrine Aquatic Center. She figured Amari, who’s 4 years old, would be a perfect fit.
“Every summer we’re hearing about cases of kids drowning. And he’s one that loves the water. We had a scare at the beach this summer. He just wandered off, so he’s not afraid of the water,” Mathis said. She decided lessons “are absolutely needed for his safety.” She says she’s pleased with the instructors.
“Everyone works well with the children,” Mathis said. “They’re very patient. The kids are engaged. [The instructors] work individually with them on techniques and the kids are attentive, they work very well. All in all, it’s been a great experience and he’s always so excited and ready to go.”
For Amari, all of his hard work has seemed to have paid off. Mathis said her great nephew has come a long way from the days that he’d ask for his floatie before getting in a pool.
“He is swimming! Like the practice we had Wednesday, [the instructor] had him going in the almost 4 feet, 3 feet-6 inches, and he was doing the stroke. I had the video camera out! And they were working with him with his breathing. He knows how to hold his breath … He goes under, comes up, takes a breath then goes back down under. I’m so pleased,” Mathis said.
“For a kid that really loves the water, this program is so needed,” she added. “It’s great for the community. There’s definitely a sense of security there.”
Plus, Mathis has found unexpected bonuses in the program.
“[Amari’s] made a lot of friends this year,” she said. “It’s been great. We’re very, very thankful for the program.”
Unlike Amari, who loves getting in the water, Takia Hall’s 5-year-old daughter Essence was never comfortable with swimming pools.
“She has never liked water like that, never been a big fan of that,” said Hall. “At first getting in the water, she cried and freaked out.”
Still, Hall said the instructors were very patient with Essence.
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