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Time in the pool is a rite of passage for many kids each summer — but for Black and brown children, the simple joy of swimming can carry a heavier reality. Drowning remains one of the leading causes of unintentional death for children, and the risk falls disproportionately on Black youth, many of whom haven’t had the opportunity to learn how to swim. That’s why Confluence Academies makes swim lessons a priority during its Summer Journey program.

Every June, students from Old North Academy and South City Academy head to the O’Fallon Park Rec Complex YMCA, where they learn critical water safety skills, build confidence in and out of the pool, and — most importantly — have the kind of fun that should be part of every kid’s summer memories.

These life-saving benefits are the subject of a new Confluence Conversations podcast entitled

The episode explores how, under the leadership of Lennox Forrester at the O’Fallon Park YMCA, youth across ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ are gaining increased access to swimming instruction, fitness and essential life-saving skills that extend far beyond the pool.

The episode explores how kids participating in the YMCA swimming instruction program brings about prevention through education and how they:

• Develop essential water safety and swim skills
• Build confidence in new environments
• Gain access to life-saving instruction early in life
• Experience supportive, community-based learning

Confluence Academies’ YMCA Summer Swim Outreach program was made possible in part through the advocacy and leadership of Caroline Mitchell, executive director of the YMCA’s Community Development branch, whose efforts have helped ensure more students across the association can access safe, inclusive swim education and community support.

Confluence Academies is a nonprofit public charter school system that strives to provide the highest quality pre-collegiate education to students in pre-kindergarten through high school. 

Since its establishment in 2003, Confluence Academies has grown from one campus and 245 students to a network of four schools serving about 2,500 students. To learn more, .

Confluence Conversations is the network’s podcast that explores how Confluence and its partners support the whole child and the entire community.  for more stories about community impact, partnership and opportunity.