SMILE program teaches kids water safety.
/ Lindsey Theis
AYNOR, S.C. (WPDE) - With the hot weather Saturday, a dip in the pool seemed like a great option. Aynor teen Sarah Altman is helping get more kids in the pool not only for fun, but for safety as well.
Tina Richardson was happy to sign her daughter up for the class. "She did not know how to float, she did not know how to swim on top of the water, and she would definitely not jump off the diving board," Richardson said.
Altman's class is called project S.M.I.L.E. It stands for swimming minnows immersed in life saving education. Kids learned about how to deal with someone drowning, basic front stroke, floating on their back, and treading water.
The class has significant meaning to Atlman. She decided to hold the class after her close friend, Darrell Miller, died from drowning.
"They were on this like big tube thing and they were playing king of the dock, and they unhooked it the rope from the deck because they didn't think it was that big of a deal they thought everyone could swim. And Darrell didn't want to be embarrassed so he didn't say anything and they got out in the water and they got a little bit farther out then they expected. And all the guys jumped off and he went under," Altman explained.
Atlman plans to hold the classes again, and hopes it will grow.
"Seeing this and how the kids are interacting, and how they'd respond to a situation. It would really mean a lot to him."
