BRANDON, Fla. -- With summer just around the corner, there has been the annual Bay area push on swimming lessons for young children.
- Everyday Hero Katherine Newcomb provides free swim lessons
- A community volunteer, Newcomb recognized for her efforts
- To nominate an Everyday Hero, please email Michael.hardin@charter.com
One Bay area teenager is going above and beyond to help disadvantaged youth learn to swim.
High school senior Katherine Newcomb leads the group of "morning mighty munchkins" at the Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center.
The life-saving lessons she teaches the toddlers in the pool are free. That is thanks in large part to the initiative she started.
"My initiative is actually to provide free swim lessons to disadvantaged youth," said Newcomb, a Riverview High student. "These kids normally would not be able to get access to them (lessons)."
A community volunteer, National Honor Society member and competitive swimmer, Newcomb was named a community hero by the Tampa Bay Lightning for her efforts.
"As a swimmer, I definitely saw the issue of youth drowning and obviously drowning in general," she said. "But youth especially. The might not get access to lessons.
"And it's nice to start at an early age because it is a fundamental skill."
Awarded $50,000 by the Lightning, Newcomb said half will go toward her college education. And the remaining half will be used by the aquatic center.
"Half will go toward funding the free lessons at the aquatic center," she said. "They're (the kids) going to be able to learn how to float on their back. Be able to kick on their own.
Do certain things like floating and so basically be taught basic skills so that when they become more advanced they can learn how swim on their own."
Generous with her time and awarded funds, Newcomb said her highly recognized gesture doesn't make her special.
"It's actually very humbling," she said. "I don't think of myself as a hero."