WF’s Hulbert Aquatic Center Hosts World’s Largest Swim Lesson

The World's Largest Swim Lesson is happening in pools across the world

WEST FARGO, N.D.–The World’s Largest Swim Lesson is happening in pools across the world.

Swim facilities in twenty countries on five continents are working to prevent one of the most preventable causes of death, drowning.

This lesson at Hulbert Aquatic Center is aimed at teaching children how to swim and more importantly, to prevent drowning.

“We’re kind of raising awareness about people knowing and not knowing how to swim and what they can do to help mitigate their chances of drowning,” Hulbert Aquatic Center Director Chad Day said.

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death globally for children between the ages of 1 and 14.

“It’s kind of baffling to think about that but at the same time it’s good that we’re doing this to raise awareness about it,” Day said.

Instructors got in the water with the kids to teach basic steps like learning how to float, how to move through water, and ways to prevent a dangerous situation.

“It was great to have people in the community be able to come out and have some free swimming lessons and learn the safety of water,” swim parent Laura Preston said. “Just going through the safety rules again when you’re swimming and being safe and making sure you don’t drown.”

From the lesson, the instructors hope they have made an impact on the lives of the kids they have taught.

“I think they got a lot out of it, they got some water safety out of it, which is always good,”swim instructor Joe Leier said. “I hope some of them learned how to swim a little bit better that would be nice.”

West Fargo’s Hulbert Aquatic Center was North Dakota’s only facility that hosted the World’s Largest Swim Lesson.