BELLE GLADE, Fla. — New swimmers are making their way to Pioneer Park Aquatic Center in Belle Glade since WPTV covered the free swim lesson program in June. What started as a modest community offering has transformed into something much bigger.
Before the news coverage, the center had 80 people enrolled in their first two sessions. Today, that number has jumped to around 110 participants.
"Busy. Busy for sure," says Aquatics Facility Manager Stephanie Berry. "We have been getting phone calls about swim lessons. I appreciate you guys coming out here and helping us get the word out."
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To keep up with interest, the center has added two summer swim camps, the PAL program and swimming lessons for the Glades Central Community High School football team. It's not just kids who want to learn— Adult swim classes were the first to fill up completely.
"We are looking into adding more adult swim lessons too," Berry explains.
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For Vertitia Evans, a mother of three, enrolling her boys was personal. She never learned to swim growing up and doesn't want her children to miss out.
"I don't want them to be fearful," Evans says. "During the summer I want them to enjoy going to the pool or the rapids. I don't want them to miss out on the opportunities."
Berry sees the program's impact extending far beyond basic strokes.
"We teach more than swim lessons," Berry said. "We teach everything with water safety—you have the wisdom in and out of the water."
The statistics are sobering. According to the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County, 41 children died from drowning between 2020-2024. Pools were among the deadliest locations, along with canals, lakes, ponds, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the ocean.
"I think it is so important for them to learn these skills," Evans emphasizes. "You never know what could happen—it could be a life-or-death situation."
Can't get into current classes? Don't worry. The aquatic center offers swim lessons year-round. For times and registration information, visit Pioneer Park Aquatic Center's website.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
