By Kiara Doyal, Seattle Medium
Last week, Impact Public Schools (Impact), a network of public charter schools serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade across the South Puget Sound area, announced a successful partnership with No More Under, a non-profit organization committed to preventing drowning through education, awareness, and action, and the Matt Griffin YMCA to offer free swim lessons to third and fourth-grade students.
No More Under provides access to water safety programs and resources to ensure that every child is equipped with the skills and knowledge to stay safe in and around the water. With a bold mission of supporting and preparing students and their communities, Impact Public Schools is always seeking innovative ways to improve public education.
“We have a two-part mission; one is to prepare a diverse student population to succeed in college and impact communities as the next generation of equity-driven innovative leaders, and the second part is to make a broader impact on public education by advocating for policies that close the opportunity gap,” says Jen Wickens, Impact Public Schools Strategic Advisor. “We have utilized Impact Puget Sound Elementary School in Tukwila where the partnership with No More Under is being piloted.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Impact Public Schools and the YMCA to offer this incredible program. Our mission is to ensure that every child has access to water safety education, and this collaboration has been a wonderful opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of these young scholars,” says Chezik Tsunoda, No More Under Founder and Executive Director.
Impact saw this opportunity as ideal for starting the pilot program as summer approaches. Wickens noted that it feels like a three-part partnership between Impact, No More Under, and the YMCA, with No More Under providing instructors for the swim lessons and the Matt Griffin YMCA offering the space.
“No More Under came to us to share their vision, and we were like that is amazing because a lot of our kids unfortunately haven’t had a chance to do swim lessons,” said Wickens. “Also, obviously water safety is so critically important.”
Tsunoda, a mother of four, founded No More Under in 2019 after her 3-year-old son, Yori, drowned the previous year. Her goal is to educate parents about the importance of swim lessons and life-saving devices and practices used in the water.
“[Tsunoda] is one of the most inspiring women I have ever met,” Wickens said. “Her personal story about the loss of her own child is what is driving her work to start this organization, and they are working to build partnerships with schools. So, we are one of their pilot partners, and the program went really well.”
Wickens says that the program offers more than just swim lessons. There are also lesson plans available that emphasize the importance of water safety following the day of swimming lessons. While the program is currently offered only to third and fourth-grade students, Impact plans to expand it next year.
“We are excited to expand upon the program next year,” said Wickens. “Most of our kids come to us from the communities that we are in, and we are intentionally located in communities where additional resources are needed. Like in Tukwila, where the majority of our kids are BIPOC and receiving free and reduced lunches.”
The decision to partner with No More Under was almost a no-brainer for Impact because they want to align with partners in the community who are doing excellent work, and they feel that this opens up doors for kids at Impact to make water a safe part of their lives.
“We think this partnership and program is important to us because we want our kids at Impact to have access to everything all kids should receive, which is water safety training on how to swim,” says Wickens. “We were compelled by the founder’s story of a really challenging moment in her own life and overcoming that, and a loss of her own child to build an organization that really does have a mission first orientation was incredible.”
“We are committed to providing our scholars with a well-rounded education that includes essential life skills. Thanks to No More Under and the Matt Griffin YMCA, our students have gained invaluable swimming skills that will benefit them for years to come,” says Amy Kiyota, Impact Public Schools CEO. “This partnership exemplifies our dedication to the holistic development of our students.”
