MOULTRIE — The YMCA, in partnership with the Colquitt County School System, has launched a new program that teaches basic swimming skills and water safety and eventually will be offered to all second graders in the county.

On Tuesday morning, SPLASH started its first lesson with Valerie Banks’ and Michelle Horn’s two classes from Hamilton Elementary School, the program’s pilot school. There were about 45 students participating and there is no cost to them for this 45 minutes to one hour lesson.

“We want to make sure we can understand the logistics since this is our first time out, so we can work out all the details,” said Greg Coop, executive director of the Moultrie YMCA.

“We just really appreciate this opportunity for our kids. Our kids were really excited about it, and our parents have been really receptive to it,” said Hamilton’s  principal, Brenda DeMott.

The students will attend six sessions twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the school is providing transportation.

Superintendent Samuel DePaul was on-hand for the first lesson and said, where he came from in Stanley County, N.C., a program like this was in place.

“And it was a great partnership with the Y. It was very popular and it’s still going on,” he added.

He said there were many lakes in Stanley County so drownings were a concern and that was why the program was so important. He said he and Coop had talked about this program when he got here.

“And now it’s in place,” he said.

“It’s really about safety. From the Y’s perspective, water safety is an important thing so, it’s a great outreach program. Every kid deserves an opportunity to learn the basics ... at least to learn how to be safe around water. If we could prevent at least one drowning...,” said Coop.

“It’s worth it,” interjected DePaul.

Coop also said that materials would be sent home with the students about water safety.

During the lesson, Aquatics Coordinator Felicia Richardson, asked the children to raise their hands and give her some rules for the pool. A majority of them raised their hands and were ready to answer with good examples of water safety rules already. They were very enthusiastic and seemed to really enjoy their time at the Y’s pool.

The lesson started with a swimming test, where the students were tested on their initial abilities by swimming a lane of the pool. Staff and community volunteers walked with each student as they performed the test. Then, the students were given colored bands to wear on their wrists which identified their capabilities. Each time they attend a lesson, they will wear their bands.

Coop said during the course of the program, Richardson would work with the children on simple stroke development, how not to panic, and how to lift up their head and look for the side of the pool.

He also said that this program was an initiative, which school boardmember-elect Mary Beth Watson had been wanting put in place for awhile.

“It’s something that I’ve wanted for a long time. I’m excited that we’ve got the leadership in both places. It’s a great opportunity,” Watson said.

She said after a frightening personal experience she had at a pool, it opened her eyes to how important it was for children to learn water safety and basic swimming skills.

Richardson said she thought this program was great because it got the YMCA into the schools as an outreach program. She said her focus would be to give them skills they could use to save themselves and to lessen their fears about the water.

“They have a misconception about their abilities,” she said.

She said sometimes children think they can swim better than they really can and she intends to make sure that her students really do have basic skills and also improve on the skills that they do have.

“This is a life skill. We take it for granted,” she said.

Coop said the plans are that, in the Spring, another session would be held with a new group of students.