LA JOLLA, Calif. - In an effort to give back to the community, 11 student-athletes and two coaches from the UC San Diego swimming and diving program recently instituted a program teaching swimming lessons to sixth grade students from the Preuss School in a P.E. format.
Upon realizing many of the Preuss School students were unable to pass the swim skills test at Canyonview Aquatic Center, senior captain Kelsey Quigley and her teammates approached the UCSD Intercollegiate Athletics Department about devising a program curriculum for the students.
Quigley met with Lisa Hawk, Preuss School Exercise and Health Science Department Chair and Athletic Director, and designed a program in which the UCSD swimming and diving student-athletes, many of whom are lifeguards at Canyonview, would hold one-hour swim sessions for the students.
The program ran every Monday and Wednesday from April 9 to May 2.
Through the student-athletes' efforts, the sixth graders made vast improvements in their swimming abilities and became friends with their instructors.
"Sharing our passion for the water initially motivated the UCSD swim and dive (team's) involvement in this project," Quigley said. "But soon we found ourselves bonding with the students, rejoicing in their speedy progress and rediscovering what initially drew us to the pool years ago."
The sixth-grade P.E. class, which is taught by EHS/Girls Volleyball and Sixth Grade Department Chair Danielle Agliam, consists of 33 Preuss School students.
UCSD Swimming and Diving Team student-athletes involved:
Kelsey Quigley
Olivia Fountain
Michelle Robbins
Katherine Tse
Olivia Martens
Casey Adams
Bethany Dong
Anji Shakya
Amber Tan
Paul Guzman
Sam Stromberg
Corrie Falcon, Head Women's Coach
Matt Macedo, Head Men's Coach
