- Drowning is the 2nd leading cause of accidental childhood death - Ten people drown each day in the United States - 7/10 African American children cannot swim - 6/10 Hispanic/Latinos cannot swim- Children from non-swimming households are eight times more likely to be at risk of drowning

-61% percent of metropolitan youth surveyed reported a low swimming ability with 10% not being able to swim at all.- White respondents self reported significantly higher swimming ability than minorities including African Americans and Hispanics.- 16% of Black/African American and 15% of Hispanic respondents claimed to have received a swim lesson from a qualified instructor- Almost half (46%) of the respondents self-reporting no/low swim ability will visit a pool on a weekly basis this summer.- Similar (affirmative) response patterns were found among all respondents for I’d like to swim more.

Swimming Statistics

Socioeconomic Statistics Parental Involvement Introduction

Make A Splash

Ways to Help

- In 2009 the USA Swimming Foundation launched its Make a Splash Tour with NC State’s own Cullen Jones.

- The tour travels across cities in the United States, giving minority children swimming lessons

- The Make a Splash program is affiliated with notable aquatic industry leaders in the community with the goal of teaching children the importance of water safety and learning to swim.

- Participation and formal swim lessons can reduce the likelyhood of childhood drowing by 88%

-Family and parental swimming involvement /encouragement found to be critical to child’s swimming ability. - Items associated with encouraging a child to swim (e.g. My parents/caregivers encourage me to swim) were tested and found to be a significant contributor to a child’s swimming ability. - White respondents were significantly more likely to provide/receive family/parental encouragement to swim.- A majority (77%) of low-skilled swimmers are dependent on a parent for transportation to and from a pool.- Most swimmers were taught to swim by a family member.

Racial Diversity in Swimming Joseph Bennett, Zachary Hutchison, Jimmie Keith

PRT 376 Section 1

-There are many different ways help your child and/or younger children become better swimmers:- Sign them up for formal swimming lessons - Teach them to swim yourself if you are a skilled swimmer - Don’t neglect their inability to swim as they are growing up. - Teach them safety lessons and rules about swimming and how to act at public swimming areas.- Volunteer to help unprivileged children swim at local pools, parks, and YMCA’s.

- Economically disadvantaged qualifying for free or reduced lunch programs are significantly less able to swim (65.6%) than the more affluent or “no lunch” program (50.2%).- Close to two-thirds (61.5%) of the sample were considered to be “non/low” swimmers with 69.8% being of African American descent.- 57.9% of Hispanic/Latino respondents deemed “non/low” swimmers.- 64.3% of female respondents were deemed “non/low” swimmers. - Free/reduced lunch recipients were significantly more inclined to disagree that the nearest pool was easy to access.- A parent in Boston, “I think we really have to educate the parents because when we go to the Boys and Girls club -and their fee is $20 for eight weeks…its cheap. It’s nothing. But you don’t have a lot of African Americans that do it.

Culture-As one Black/African American Boston interviewee offered dispelling that pool availability and access are not the issue, “Even though you have these areas (to swim) I still think its culture and what you see on TV. You see a lot more Caucasian kids or adults loving the beach, loving the water you know what I mean? Being fish like. A lot of things play into this it’s not just the statistics; it has to do with life, I do believe that.”- Lack of celebrities are associated with swimming.