From Fear to Confidence: Grace's Water Safety Journey

This fall marks the third year of the YMCA of Greenwich’s Safety Around Water initiative in partnership with Greenwich Public Schools—an effort that brings more than 600 fourth graders to the Y each year for life-saving water safety evaluations. For many children, it’s their first introduction to structured water safety instruction. For some families, it becomes a life-changing experience.

For Edeli Javier and her daughter Grace, that transformation began the moment Grace stepped into the pool.

A Nervous Start, A Confident Finish

When Grace first arrived for her water safety evaluation, she was anxious—especially about jumping into the water. But her instructors stayed right by her side, encouraging her, reassuring her, and giving her the confidence she needed to trust herself.

By the end of the six-week program, Grace was a completely different child.

“She was afraid to jump in the water and now she’s jumping in,” Edeli said. “I’m not a swimmer myself, and seeing how approachable you all were with her made my heart at peace—and made me want to take lessons here myself.”

Grace was one of the 13% of evaluated fourth graders identified this year as lacking sufficient water safety skills—children who are then invited to participate in the Y’s free six-week Safety Around Water program. Many of these students come from Title I elementary schools in Greenwich, where families face additional barriers to accessing swim instruction.

For kids like Grace, this program opens a door they might never have had.

Why Water Safety Matters—Nationally and Right Here in Greenwich

Drowning remains a serious and often overlooked public health issue. Each year in the United States, an estimated 4,000 people die from unintentional drowning—an average of 11 deaths per day. Among children ages 5 to 14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death, behind motor vehicle crashes.

The risks aren’t equal across all communities. Research shows:

• 64% of African-American, 45% of Hispanic/Latino, and 40% of Caucasian children have few to no swimming skills.

• When parents lack swim skills themselves, their children are significantly less likely to learn— affecting 78% of African-American, 62% of Hispanic/Latino, and 67% of Caucasian children.

• Children in households earning less than $50,000 are disproportionately impacted—79% have few to no swimming skills.

This is why partnerships like Safety Around Water are so crucial. By reaching students early—especially those from families with limited access to swim lessons—the Y is breaking generational cycles of fear, inexperience, and risk around water.

What Safety Around Water Teaches

The Y’s curriculum is nationally recognized and designed for children who may have little or no prior water experience. Over six weeks, participants learn how to:

• Adjust to and feel comfortable in the water

• Use “Jump, Push, Turn, Grab” if they fall into water unexpectedly

• Use “Swim, Float, Swim” to reach safety

• Understand basic pool rules, boating safety, and awareness around open water

• Build confidence through age-appropriate games and activities

Each lesson includes take-home materials for parents, reinforcing safe habits at home, at the pool, and near open water.

A Ripple Effect Worth Supporting

As we begin our third year of this program, our commitment remains clear: to ensure that every local child has access to essential water safety skills. Each year, hundreds of students like Grace leave with greater confidence, stronger skills, and a safer relationship with the water.

Programs like this are only possible because of donor support. If you would like to help make Safety Around Water accessible for more children in our community, please consider making a gift in support of this life-saving program: greenwichymca.org/give/annual

Your generosity helps create safer kids, stronger families, and a more confident community.