By: Jasmine Morrow Staff writer
On April 7, Western’s Health and Wellness Center held a “No School Swim” event for students from the local high schools, middle schools and elementary schools to come and enjoy a day in the pool when their classes had been cancelled.
According to Western’s website, the event is a time for the whole family to have fun and release some energy with some aquatic games. It’s a great activity for kids to be active, but have fun while doing so. This is the fourth time the Health and Wellness Center has opened its pool for students to enjoy themselves on a day off from school.
Melissa Bergeland, the event coordinator and assistant director, said, “We know if kids are out of school, they need something to do. We don’t want them to drive their parents crazy, we don’t want them to get into trouble, so we want to give them something to do. So, we offer this extra REC swim in there so that they can come play in the water.”
There aren’t any specific games or activities that are planned out for the participants, but they have the water basketball hoop or the water volleyball net put up so participants can choose what they wish to do in their free time at the pool.
Bergeland finds this event important because it teaches kids and parents about water safety, and allows Western to connect with the community. The lifeguards on duty during the No School Swim event are student employees from Western. One of the lifeguards, Jennifer Sprueill, sophomore criminal justice major, has lifeguarded this event four times. Another student, Jennifer Lindley, junior early childhood education major, has only lifeguarded the No School Swim event once. Both Sprueill and Lindley agree that the most important thing about lifeguarding is the water safety and keeping people safe. They just want people to have a safe and enjoyable time and have things run smoothly.
“Lifeguarding has always been associated with kids; keeping them safe and having fun with the kids” said Lindley.
Though the event was small in numbers, they are hoping to get the word out and so more participants show up for the next No School Swim.
Contact author at jmorrow16@mail.wou.edu
