6/24 Hoffman Estates Park District Joins Global Effort in the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ at Seascape
June 10, 2024
Hoffman Estates, IL – The Hoffman Estates Park District (HEParks) is gearing up to host the 15th annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ (WLSL) on June 20, 2024, at the Seascape Family Aquatic Center. This global event underscores the critical importance of swimming lessons as a life-saving skill and aims to foster greater awareness around drowning prevention.
Drowning remains a silent threat, often occurring within mere seconds, and predominantly when the victim’s struggle goes unnoticed. The Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine highlights that formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% among young children.
Initiated in 2010, the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ has rapidly evolved into a significant worldwide campaign, reaching billions with its powerful message: “Swimming Lessons Save Lives™.” Through synchronized swimming lessons across the globe, WLSL brings attention to the preventable nature of drowning and promotes swimming as a vital safety skill, as crucial as wearing a seatbelt. This year’s participation in WLSL marks a special milestone—the event’s 15th anniversary. HEParks is committed to making a significant impact by providing participants, ranging from toddlers to adults, the opportunity to learn foundational water safety skills in a supportive and engaging environment.
The event will take place on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at 5:30 PM at the Seascape Family Aquatic Center in Hoffman Estates, IL. Kids aged 5 to 17 will have 30-minute swim lessons followed by an hour of free swim time for families.
The 2023 WLSL event saw tens of thousands of individuals from different continents engage in learning life-saving swimming skills. The collective effort not only focuses on the practical aspects of swimming but also stresses the importance of comprehensive safety measures such as close supervision, use of proper fencing around pools, and emergency preparedness including CPR knowledge.
HEParks strongly advises parents to never leave children unattended near water and to ensure that all family members learn to swim and understand the safety protocols around bodies of water. HEParks invites the community to participate in this vital educational event. By joining hands on June 20th, residents can contribute to a global movement aimed at making swimming a universal skill, akin to other safety measures that protect and save lives.
