World's Largest Swimming Lesson Set for June 3

City of Clayton’s Shaw Park Aquatic Center Serving as an Official Host Location

May 26, 2010

Dozens of kids will take their place in the record books on Thursday, June 3rd when they participate in The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL) at Shaw Park Aquatic Center. Shaw Park Aquatic Center is an official Host Location for the WLSL event, taking place at 9a.m. CST at more than 100 aquatic facilities around the globe. WLSL participants will set a new Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous swimming lesson ever conducted, to create awareness about the vital importance of teaching children to swim and help prevent drowning.

Tragically, drowning is the second leading cause of unintended, injury-related death of children ages 1-14. Research shows if a child doesn’t learn to swim by the third grade, they likely never will. The World’s largest Swimming Lesson was created as a platform to help aquatic facilities and various regional, state, national, and international water safety and drowning prevention organizations work together to build awareness about this issue.

For more information about the event or to find out how you can join the WLSL record breaking team and support this important and fun initiative, contact Chris Cholley at 314.290-8507 or via e-mail at ccholley@ci.clayton.mo.us or visit www.wlsl.org

About The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson
The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is being presented by a coalition of the nation’s leading water safety and training organizations including: Association of Pool and Spa Professionals, International Swimming Hall of Fame, International Swim Instructors Association, Independent Pool and Spa Service Association, Jeff Ellis & Associates, national Aquatic Safety Company, National Recreation and Parks Association, Starfish Aquatics Institute, Swim For Life Foundation, United States Swim School Association and the World Waterpark Association.

The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson culminates National Water Safety Month- a month long initiative that takes place in May to support ongoing public education of safer water and always being water aware.

The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson event was created as a platform to communicate that swimming is a life-saving skill and a vital part of a multi-step approach to prevent drowning, the second leading cause of unintended, injury related death of children ages 1-14. For more information visit: www.wlsl.org