Welcome to Mission Moment, a series from CEO Amy Vendt where she highlights moments from around the Bath Area Family YMCA that exemplify our association’s commitment to our mission of promoting the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities.
Building confident, safe swimmers – one lesson at a time.
This month, I want to highlight a program that is especially meaningful to me—swim lessons. Some of you may know my Y story: I began my 32-year YMCA career as a lifeguard and swim instructor in Beverly, MA. As we approach May, which is National Water Safety Month, I want to share a bit about the history of swim lessons at the Y and why this work matters so deeply.
In 1909, the Detroit YMCA pioneered the first group swim lessons. YMCA staffer George Corsan introduced and taught the first group swim instruction at a time when drowning rates were rising across the United States. Corsan’s approach—teaching in groups rather than one-on-one—made lessons more accessible and efficient. His innovations laid the foundation for modern swim instruction and helped establish swim lessons as a cornerstone of YMCA programs worldwide.
Jumping ahead to today, more than one million children take swim lessons at the Y each year. In 2025, the Bath Area Family YMCA taught over 1,500 children to swim. Importantly, more than 15% of those children received financial assistance, removing barriers and expanding access to this life-saving program.
Swim lessons are not just a program—they are a life-saving skill. On average, two children die every day from drowning, making it the second leading cause of death for children ages 5–14. Most drownings occur in water that is less than one foot over the child’s head and within ten feet of safety—88% of these drownings occur while a child is technically under adult supervision. These statistics are sobering, but they also underscore the impact of what we do.
Early in my career, I was reminded just how vital this work is. A parent once thanked me for saving her four-year-old daughter’s life. I was confused—until she explained that her daughter had fallen into their backyard pool. While her mother panicked, the child pushed off the bottom of the deep end, surfaced, and swam to the wall. She later told her mom she was just doing the “fireman’s pole” game we practiced in swim class—a simple activity designed to teach children how to submerge, push off, and return to safety.
That moment forever changed how I view my work and it still impacts me today. Even as my job has changed, I continue to offer courses to certify the next generation of swim instructors.
What we do matters. We build confident, safe swimmers—one child at a time.
– Amy
Amy Vendt
Chief Executive Officer