Statewide swimming lesson voucher program launched in Ocala

During a press conference on Sept. 23 at the Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training complex in Ocala, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, right, with Kenneth Colen, president of Colen Built Development, announced the Florida Swimming Lesson Voucher Program. [Frame grab photo is from a livestream post on social media.]

With the sparkling pools at the Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training complex in southwest Ocala as the background, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez on the morning of Sept. 23 announced the Florida Swimming Lesson Voucher Program.

According to watersmartfl.com, the Florida Legislature found that drowning is the leading cause of death of young children in the state and a significant cause of death for medically frail elderly persons.

“The purpose of this program is to increase water safety and prevent drowning in Florida by providing free swimming lessons to eligible Florida families,” the site notes.

Only children ages 4 and younger at the time of application are eligible. To apply for a voucher, families must provide proof of income at no more than 200% of federal poverty guidelines, which for example, would be $15,060 for a family of one, $20,440 for a family of two, $25,820 for a family of three, etc. Applicants also must provide proof of Florida residency and the child’s date of birth.

“Thanks to our friends here at FAST and thank you for doing everything you’re doing to equip our children with lifesaving skills so they can be safe in and around bodies of water,” Nuñez said during a livestream of the press conference on social media.

Florida Department of Health Deputy Secretary of Health Dr. Kenneth Scheppke told those gathered that, “We’re fortunate here in Florida we can swim year-round but that’s also a hazard for our children. As an emergency physician, I’ve seen firsthand how horrible, what a terrible tragedy, it is when a young child dies from drowning. For 1–4-year-olds, drowning is the number one cause of accidental death. I’m grateful for the Florida Swimming Lesson voucher program, which targets that age group.”

Scheppke also said, “There’s a lot of things we can do, like putting up barriers and alarms, but really, it’s teaching children those lifesaving skills so they can save themselves either by floating or getting safely back to the side. We have vouchers for thousands of children across the state.”

Also addressing the audience was Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris.

“We need to make sure kids are prepared; parents are prepared. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Physical barriers and alarms are the first line of defense, but nothing tops being able to ensure that your child can swim and if they fall in accidentally, they can save themselves, particularly if the adult is not present. This peace of mind for parents is priceless. I’m proud the state has taken this proactive step to ensure that the cost does not stand in the way of swim lessons. I encourage all eligible families to take advantage of this opportunity to arm your children with this life saving skill,” Harris said.

Taylor Hatch, director of the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities, talked about “a specific population we serve, and that is those with a diagnosis of autism. According to the Autism Society of Florida, drowning is the number one cause of death in those with an autism diagnosis. Children with autism are more than 160 times more likely to be involved in fatal and near-fatal drowning than other children.”

Hatch offered three tips to heighten awareness:

• Let your neighbors know if your loved one has a tendency to wander and is attracted to water.
• Make learning how to swim and water safety visual. Create both written and photo schedules to teach students in ways that best suit their needs. Visit our water safety web page at apd.myflorida.com/watersafety/
• Consistency and structure. Practice is key, and reiterating safety tips.

Established in 2022, Florida Aquatics Swimming & Training is a venture of the Circle Square Foundation. Kenneth Colen, president of Colen Built Development, builder of On Top of the World and Calesa Township, is a trustee for the foundation and the Colen Family Charitable Trust. He also spoke during the press conference.

“This is an important announcement, a game changer in so many ways. Learning to swim is one of those life skills you can do at any age. Our motto is, learn to swim, swim to compete, compete to win. And the mindset, the discipline it takes, lasts a lifetime,” he said.

Rebecca Rogers, with the foundation and trust, said that since opening in 2022, FAST has given more than 14,000 swimming lessons.

“One of the programs we are really proud of is Cannonball Kids and we provide free swim lessons to any Marion County third grader,” she said.

“This new voucher will give families even more opportunities to receive instruction regardless of their ability to pay. We wanted to be large enough to teach elite athletes and small enough to teach people how to swim. Drowning is preventable and we aim to make it our mission to drown-proof Marion County. We love providing swim lessons to everyone,” Rogers added.

To end the program and highlight the importance of knowing how to swim in a state with numerous bodies of water, Gemma Fleming, the aquatic program director for FAST, narrated while a swimming coach demonstrated some moves in the pool with two young students.

To learn more, go to watersmartfl.com and floridafast.com

To apply for a voucher, go to azapps.floridahealth.gov/SLVoucher