LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – It was just another school day at Heir Force Community School, but for many students, it also meant swim lessons.
The school has partnered with the Lima Family YMCA to provide swimming instruction for all kindergarten through third-grade students. On Tuesday, children practiced safety turns into the pool, blowing bubbles and bobbing in the water. Classes rotate on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the school year to ensure every student gets time in the pool.
Dr. Willie Heggins, executive director of Heir Force Community School, said the partnership helps students gain critical skills in a safe environment.
“An excellent way for us to be able to bring the kids out and partner with the Y and create this safe space for them to be able to learn valuable life skills, and, more definitively, learn how to have some fun in the water in a safe and effective way,” Heggins said.
Jared Lehman, CEO of the Lima Family YMCA, said the program offers more than exercise.
“It provides more than just a gym component and a time for them to get some exercise. It's a valuable life skill. They're learning a skill that they can take with them well beyond Air Force and as they age into adulthood,” Lehman said.
This is the second year for the partnership, and both organizations say they would like to see it continue for many years to come.
