More than 500 children participated in the 17th annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson with the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department to raise awareness about drowning prevention.
According to FlHealthCharts, one in five drowning deaths nationally involve children ages 14 and younger.
The swim lessons were held at Copeland Pool and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pool, where children ages 3 to 11 learned fundamental skills to help them stay safe in the water.
“We want to break this cycle of being scared of the water and create more confidence by giving the skills necessary,” Aquatics Team Supervisor Louis Campanello said.
Campanello began lifeguarding at 15 years old and has since worked his way up to supervising aquatics programs for the City of Tampa.
“Today’s event is all about spreading the message that swimming lessons save lives, it’s a fact,” Campanello said. “Don’t let anything get in the way of stopping you from getting lessons.”
The City of Tampa offers swim lessons throughout the year, with eight lessons available for $24. Campanello said the city works to make sure residents have access to swim instruction without financial barriers.
In 2024, 452 people died from unintentional drowning in Florida, according to FlHealthCharts.
A case-control study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that formal swimming lessons were associated with an 88% reduction in drowning risk among children ages 1 to 4.
The City of Tampa offers lessons for children as young as 6 months old through adults to help residents build lifelong water safety skills. The city also provides water safety classes through the American Red Cross and helps fund lifeguard training for those who complete the course.
“Kids can drown in an inch of water and people are not aware of this,” said Nicolle Jones with the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County. “We have water safety initiatives to bring awareness to the dangers and provide practical tools for adults.”
Before the lessons began, more than 20 lifeguards and swim instructors reviewed safety instructions with students.
The precautions included wearing sunscreen, knowing where lifeguards are located, asking for help when needed and understanding safe ways to enter the water.
During the lessons, children practiced floating, blowing bubbles and learning basic swimming techniques.
For Matt Strojnowski, the importance of swim safety comes from personal loss. Strojnowski lost his 16-month-old child to drowning in 2020 and has since worked to raise awareness about drowning prevention, self-rescue swim skills and access to swim lessons through Smile Like Aubrey.
“This year we have provided 50 swim scholarships and have raised around $50,000 since 2022,” Strojnowski said.
Strojnowski and his wife continue working to provide resources and financial assistance to families so no child misses out on lifesaving swim lessons because of cost.
The City of Tampa has 11 pools where residents and nonresidents can register for swim lessons year-round. Officials encourage families to learn water safety skills at any age.
It’s never too late to learn skills that can help save lives.