Schools In Pools

The YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina’s Schools in Pools program is a collaborative community initiative focused on expanding access to swim instruction and water safety education for elementary school students throughout New Hanover County.

In a coastal community surrounded by beaches, rivers, lakes, and pools, water safety is not optional — it is essential. Unfortunately, many children in our region lack access to affordable swim instruction, placing them at greater risk for water-related accidents and drownings. Schools in Pools was created to address this critical community need and ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn lifesaving swim skills regardless of income, background, or experience level.

Launched through a partnership between the YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina, New Hanover County Schools, the YWCA Lower Cape Fear, and NSEA Swim, the program provides free swim lessons and water safety education to second grade students during the school day. Students are transported to local aquatic facilities where certified instructors guide them through foundational swim skills, water acclimation, safety techniques, and confidence-building activities in and around the water.

The program is designed not only to teach children how to swim, but also to help reduce fear of the water, promote healthy lifestyles, and create safer families and communities.