GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The College of Health and Human Performance’s adapted aquatics class will conclude this semester’s program with special festivities, a pizza party and the lifeguard challenge at the Florida Pool Wednesday, April 20, 2005. The event begins at 11 a.m.

For the past month, University of Florida graduate and undergraduate students taught swimming classes to students, who have various physical disabilities or developmental delays, at Terwilliger Elementary, Metcalfe Elementary and Howard Bishop Middle School. This program is offered to the schools free of charge to teach students essential swim skills, exercise and, most importantly, to have fun.

In addition to these benefits, the students from Howard Bishop Middle School have participated in Guard Start, an introductory lifeguarding program. Students have been taught basic water safety and lifesaving techniques. The purpose of this course is to give students greater confidence in their personal abilities around the water as well as increased self-esteem in their capacity to help others. This program will culminate with a lifeguard challenge highlighting the Guard Start student’s new skills on Wednesday.

In previous years, 50-60 students have attended this program, however, this year the program has grown to more than 70 students. 

This is not only a chance for students to work on their physical skills essential for effective swimming, but also an opportunity for some of them to perform skills they are not capable of doing on land. The pool allows instructors to work on aspects, such as strength, endurance, flexibility, balance and coordination in a weightless environment. This kind of contact also enables the students to interact with others by enhancing their social skills and raising their self-esteem.