Water Safety Takes Center Stage: Swim Strong Foundation at WaterPalooza 26
On Saturday, May 30, 2026, Swim Strong Foundation joined the Eta Nu Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. for WaterPalooza 26 — a free, community-wide water safety and swim clinic event held at the Brooklyn School for Social Justice, Bushwick Campus. Presented in partnership with the Seven Roses Legacy Foundation and New York State Senator Kevin S. Parker, the event brought together families, young swimmers, community leaders, and water safety advocates for a day that was equal parts education, action, and recognition.
The theme was clear from the moment participants arrived: water safety is a survival skill — not a sport, not a privilege. It belongs to everyone.
Know Before You Go!® in Action
Before anyone hit the water, Swim Strong Foundation Executive Director Shawn Slevin led a water safety presentation for families gathered in the school auditorium. With colorful beach balls lining the stage and a room full of attentive parents and children, Slevin delivered the foundation’s signature Know Before You Go!® curriculum — the situational knowledge of water environments that Swim Strong has been teaching across New York City for 20 years.
The backdrop said it all: a projected slide from the Swim 1922 program, developed by Eta Nu Sigma in partnership with Swim Strong Foundation and the USA Swimming Foundation, bearing the words “Water Safety is a Survival Skill.” It’s a message Swim Strong has been building its programs around since 2006 — and one that resonated deeply with a room full of Brooklyn families preparing to send their children into the pool.
At the Pool: Free Swim Clinics for All Ages
When the presentation wrapped, the event moved poolside — and the work continued. WaterPalooza 26 offered free water safety and swim clinics for participants ages 4 through 18 and beyond. Certified instructors worked directly with participants in the water, introducing beginners to foundational swimming skills while older participants advanced their strokes and water confidence.
The pool was alive with activity: parents wading in with young children, teens getting their first structured instruction, and experienced coaches guiding every step. For many families in attendance, this was their first opportunity to access structured swim instruction — exactly the gap Swim Strong Foundation has worked to close since its founding.
Recognition from New York State
One of the day’s most meaningful moments came in the form of a New York State Legislative Resolution, presented by Senator Kevin S. Parker on behalf of the Eta Nu Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. The proclamation — a formal recognition from the New York State Senate — honored the chapter’s commitment to water safety education, community service, and the life-saving work carried out through programs like Swim 1922 and WaterPalooza.
It was a powerful acknowledgment that the work being done in Brooklyn pools and auditoriums matters — and that elected officials are paying attention.
Twenty Years of Showing Up
WaterPalooza 26 is one chapter in a much larger story. Swim Strong Foundation is currently celebrating 20 years of water safety education in New York City — 121,000+ students reached, 12,400+ people taught to swim, 535+ certified lifeguards, and more than $2 million in free and low-cost lessons delivered to families across the five boroughs.
Events like WaterPalooza are why that number keeps growing. When organizations align around a shared mission — community partners, elected officials, sorority chapters, nonprofit foundations — real access gets built. Real skills get taught. Real lives get changed.
Water safety isn’t a one-day conversation. But days like May 30th are proof that the community is ready to have it.
Want to get involved?
Swim Strong Foundation offers affordable swim instruction for ages 6 through seniors at four active NYC locations. Classes are forming now.
