For water safety advocates, education starts with opportunity. Red Cross’ Centennial Campaign aims to create ripple effects towards equitable access for Idaho families.

Thanks to a recent partnership, aquatics program leaders at the Harward Recreation Center in Nampa feel empowered to make that future possible as a Centennial provider.

"We're going to bridge that gap for you. We're going to take away all those barriers and make it much easier for you to come here and learn how to swim," said aquatics supervisor Jessica Vanderpool.

Funding through the American Red Cross campaign supports lifeguard training, a scholarship program and swim lessons. It also creates possibilities to take water safety education from the pool and into nearby non profit programs and classrooms.

“A long-term vision would be to get a partnership with the schools and get them in here to teach swim lessons, bus the kids in during the school day and teach swimming lessons and water safety to those kids as well.”

Nampa is the first community in the region to become part of the Centennial Campaign. While the recognition marks a new milestone, it reflects a longstanding need for many Idahoans who consider water recreation a part of life.

"We're probably seeing 80 to 90 percent of scholarship applicants saying they've never taken swim lessons before." Jessica said.

“Whether it's floating the river, spending a day at the lake or cooling off at the neighborhood pool, opportunities to be around water are everywhere,” said training coordinator Jordan Pyle.

Aquatics center staff members, like Jordan, have grown up as pool patrons, experiencing the rewards of empowerment through swim safety – and the risks to loved ones without the lifesaving education.

“When I was little, I jumped into a pool and started drowning. And my older sister was actually the one that grabbed me and pulled me aside,” she said. “So, we have kind of this cute story that she wanted to become a lifeguard because of me.”

Jordan eventually followed in her sister’s footsteps, working her way up at the center from teaching courses to creating programs of her own that help fellow lifeguards and swimmers.

But her family's story with water safety stretches back even further.

Her grandmother experienced a traumatic incident in the water as a child and never learned how to swim. Determined to make sure future generations were safer around water, she made swimming lessons a priority for her children. Jordan's mother continued that tradition.

It became a base that shaped Jordan growing up and built a career path towards her future at the aquatics center.

"If I hadn't taken swim lessons, if my mom hadn't made sure we knew how to be safe around water, I don't know where I would be," she said.

Like Jessica, Jordan sees the partnership as an opportunity to reach people who lack critical confidence in water when those skills are needed most.

“The Centennial program, I feel very fortunate and very joyful about it,” she said. ‘It really inspired me this year to think about ways that I can reach out into the community and share that knowledge.”

That sentiment is shared throughout the facility.

Anna Murphy was just 15 years old when she became a lifeguard. Now, after more than four years on staff, she helps mentor new lifeguards while watching over swimmers in the community she calls home.

"It's so cool to help other people be in the position to be a lifeguard -- and to actually be a good lifeguard," she said.

Like many of her coworkers, Anna believes the facility's greatest strength is its people. Staff members train together, teach together and often spend time together outside of work.

That camaraderie creates a culture where learning through Red Cross’ monthly training programs never stops, and with it, a shared commitment to protect all who enter the center’s pools.

"Things can happen in a matter of seconds," Anna said. "It's really important that we have those people there to help prevent that from happening and ensure the safety of everyone."

As summer approaches, all three look forward to welcoming more people through their doors thanks to support from the Centennial campaign.

Jessica is eager to see scholarship recipients begin lessons. Jordan is focused on expanding outreach and adaptive programming. Anna is ready to mentor the next generation of lifeguards.

Each is passionate about the impact they can make while sharing a common goal – bridging gaps to connect their community through swim safety.