The summer of 2019 was my third consecutive summer volunteering for a local program called Pacific Coast Marlins Learn to Swim (a partner of USA Swimming's Make a Splash Foundation). This 28-hour-program during the months of June and July is offered free of charge to children in need that attend a local daycare center. It was created by a former Branson School student in 2012 and is now run by her mother and volunteers. This program allowed me to teach underserved children how to swim and reduce their risk of drowning (the second leading cause of death of children under 14). I enjoyed myself helping the children, and this program also taught me how to be a better teacher and volunteer. It also helped me develop my leadership skills; I was a lead instructor during my second and third years.

More information is available at: www.pcmlearntoswim.org