Cleveland State University (CSU), AquaMissions, and Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) are diving into a life-saving partnership to transform CSU’s aquatics center pool into a classroom to teach 2,500 Cleveland fourth graders critical water safety and swim skills.

"Learning to swim is as essential as learning to read, and we are committed to making it a reality for every child in Cleveland," AquaMissions founder Lynne Nagy said in a statement.

AquaMissions, a local nonprofit focused on water safety, is working with CSU and CMSD to address a serious issue: saving lives in the water. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death among children, especially in minority communities.

Cleveland youth taking advantage of AquaMissions programmingThe AquaMissions team notes that more than half of Black and Latinx youth either cannot swim or feel unsafe in deep water, and Black and Brown children ages 10 to 14 are nearly eight times more likely to drown in swimming pools than their White peers.

Partners with the new program say they hope to close this gap in water safety education, saving lives along the way.

"We are pleased to welcome CMSD scholars to our campus,” says Stephanie Brooks, dean of CSU’s College of Health. “Providing them with access to our world-class aquatics facilities and expertise is a significant step in equipping our youth with life-saving skills and reducing drowning accidents and deaths in our region.”

Desiree Powell, executive director of health, physical education, and athletics at CMSD agrees that the water safety and swim program is a critical need.

“I recently witnessed a near-drowning of a young boy and his mother, who went under trying to save him,” Powell says. “No lifeguards were present, so I and two others rushed to their aid—and just in time. It was terrifying. I am grateful to have this partnership to save lives for our scholars.”

Beyond swim lessons, CSU will also conduct research on the effectiveness of early water safety education in reducing drowning risks and improving overall health outcomes for children—particularly in urban areas. Nagy says she hopes the data from the partnership will help shape similar programs and serve as a model for others nationwide.

“Our collaboration with CSU is a cornerstone of our broader effort to save and change lives through equitable access to swimming instruction through school-based programming," she explains.

As the program prepares to launch, AquaMissions is seeking additional support from public and private stakeholders to expand its reach and impact. Contact AquaMissions for more information about or to donate.