Friendship Aspire Academy has opened what officials hope is a year-round water safety program for its elementary students.
About a dozen kindergartners through third graders took swimming lessons at the Pine Bluff Aquatics Center from June 7-July 1. Lauren Chapman, Friendship's director of extended learning, said much interest in the lessons was generated from the initial session.
"Our students took a four-week session, twice a week for four weeks to gain their water proficiency so they're ready to be confident swimmers," Chapman said. "That is big for us. We know some lessons are not available during the school programming, and we worked to bring that to our students because of the importance of water safety and what that brings."
The swim lessons are an example of Friendship's extended learning program, which includes activities that are not necessarily included during the charter school system's school year. The program is only open to Friendship students.
"We're always trying to figure out what our students need and what students want," said Shannon Travis, Friendship spokesman. "We have robotics, a high-interest student learning area, an investment club and a choir club. Certainly, students need to know how to swim and be confident in water."
Chapman said Friendship plans to start an eight-week session in either late September or early October. The classes would be held at the Aquatics Center at 400 E. 11th Ave.
"We worked with the city of Pine Bluff and their grant writer," Chapman said. "The mayor is working on a couple of things. The Aquatics Center is such a hallmark for Pine Bluff, and we have an opportunity to partner with the city of Pine Bluff to utilize the place for swim lessons.
The goal is for students to have confidence in and around the pool. We feel strongly to keep this going."
Another swimming class is currently taught at the Aquatics Center. The second session of the city's Learn to Swim program started this month and is funded through a $9,000 city grant, center director Farrin Cain said.
A.J. Rogers and Jovankah Rodriguez, two of Cain's former USA Swimming pupils, are instructing the group of 100 kids in the Learn to Swim program. Cain said Dollar General on Olive Street has donated flip-flops for each of the students.
Details: Aquatics Center, (870) 850-7620.