I had my first swimming lesson at two years old when my dad accidentally dropped me in the ocean. Of course, it wasn’t ideal for my parents, but it sparked my love for the water. When I was 5, I joined my school’s swim team and haven’t stopped swimming since. I grew my involvement in the sport by competing on club teams and my high school team. I was able to represent those teams at many state and section meets. In my senior year, I had the honor of leading my high school team as a captain. I loved being able to show my love for the sport in different ways and see that same love in my teammates. After competing for a decade, I wanted to give back to the sport of swimming and the community around me, so I became a lifeguard at the local pool. As I was in my lifeguard training, I learned drowning is the leading cause of death in children. It shocked me and became very important to me to teach kids how to be safe in the water while still having fun. I made it a mission for me to make the water a comfortable place for children, just like it was for me years ago. I started teaching swimming lessons to kids but soon realized being in the water means something different to everyone. For some, putting their faces in the water was scarier than Frankenstein, but others loved it so much they were practically mermaids. Each child had unique feelings toward the water, so to help those who struggled I had to get creative. Simply having the kids cannonball into a deeper part of the pool to get their faces wet or pretend to have Santa bellies while floating on their backs, improved their adaptiveness to the water. I was able to play many games with the children and watch their bond with the water grow stronger during each lesson. By disguising their fears in fun ways, I was able to make my community a safer place and save lives. Nothing has had a greater impact on me than getting to know the children and seeing that spark in their eyes when they finally learn to love the water. I know not all of them will go on to compete in swimming as I did, but the reward of knowing that I’ve been able to support my community and make the water a safe space is better than any medal I could win. Swimming has always had a special place in my heart and giving back to the sport and the community around me makes me know my mission has been fulfilled.