Field Trip!
Program offers stations for aquatic recreation and safety
By Thomas Combs
Adrienne Griffin wanted to expand her physical-education program at Fairplay Middle School in Douglasville, Ga., in ways not offered through the school system. “I want to do what is best for the students and give them the tools to stay active in life,” she explains. “I want the students to get outside of their comfort zone and take advantage of the opportunities presented outside of school.” She imagined a series of field trips for all grade levels to experience how aquatics is used for fitness, to note the variety of programs offered, how to employ local recreational resources, and to learn crucial skills in the process.
I met with Griffin to hear more about her vision. We formalized the field trips into four training stations that students would participate in for 45 minutes each:
• CPR and AED training
• First aid and response training
• Swim and rescue
• Aqua Zumba.
The Stations
Upon arrival, students were greeted by Chad Griffin, Aquatic Superintendent, along with the entire Boundary Waters Aquatic Center (BWAC) staff, at which point their exciting journey began.
Station 1: CPR and AED training were conducted by Trey Patuka, Lifeguard Instructor, who demonstrated proper CPR technique and use of the AED in emergencies.
Station 2: First-aid and response training (directed by me) discussed calling 911 in emergencies, recognizing health-related emergencies, and administering first aid. Heart attacks, strokes, anaphylaxis, shock, and severe bleeding all were covered in the session. Students interacted with a “suffering” actor to determine the emergency and how to administer the proper first aid.
Station 3: Swim and rescue were led by Josh Stevens and Mario Ingram, Lifeguard/Swim Instructors. Students were taught swimming and water-survival skills, such as how to kick, how to use arms, how to control breathing, and how to float. Students were also shown how to use a ring buoy and rescue tube, and to perform basic water rescue.
Station 4: Aqua Zumba was managed by Pamela Bennett of Pamela Bennett Fitness. Each group was given time to dance to loud music and engage in aqua-fit exercises similar to what she offers in weekly classes at the aquatic center. All students enjoyed the free time and played in the shallow pool until the next session.
Cost/Benefit Analysis
The majority of participants enjoyed the trips and voiced the value in participating. Students asked for more swimming, more Zumba, and more CPR to share with others. A total of 238 students from sixth through eighth grades attended three separate trips. To host the program, the facility had to pay additional costs for the instructors’ time for each station. The total revenue from all three trips was $3,570. For future trips, it is recommended to have adjustable pricing for schools or to explore the use of grant money so all students have a chance to participate.
The materials presented on the field trips were life skills used for emergencies and fitness. Students not only benefited from the trainings, but school staff members also received the training indirectly. Brooke Dowdy, a substitute teacher who attended all three field trips, was in a crowd of 30 to 40 people at the central office for the Douglas County School System when a man behind her said he wasn’t feeling well, exhibited dizziness, and grabbed the closest desk to put his head down. “After seeing how dizzy he was and hearing him talk, I immediately thought of the classes and the material,” she says. “I moved him while I asked for someone to call 911 and get the AED ready. A nurse on-site was able to assist, and EMS arrived to take over. The trainings were informative for everyone, students and staff; you hope you never have to use this type of practice, but had I not known, you never know what could have happened.”
Problems And Solutions
With multiple moving parts, it was critical to maintain a timeline for all stations. As anyone who works with kids can attest—timelines and schedules rarely go as intended. There were instances where students were late, key staff members were absent, sessions lasted longer than expected, time was requested to go toward free play, and the order of stations had to be moved to accommodate lunch. A best practice with the later trips was to have the timeline of events for each trip communicated to all staff members in advance and to remain flexible to all changes. This resulted in altered start and end times, staggered classes, shortened class lengths, and combined groups.
An additional challenge with a program this size is the need to staff the event. Lifeguards were needed to maintain safety, instructors were needed to teach swim and rescue, and certified instructors were required for Aqua Zumba, first aid, and CPR—all with full-time staff members assisting with daily operations. Having more staff members scheduled for the event helped with the administrative portion of the program. Since only a few instructors have the certifications and experience to teach the source material, it’s recommended to have multiple staff members with the same credentials/trainings/experience available as back-up for emergencies, along with multiple lifeguard staff members. What assisted BWAC was having at least two staff members certified as Lifeguard Instructors, two staff members certified as Water Safety Instructors, and a part-time nurse.
Recommendations
To host a similar event:
• Have an established curriculum with challenging scenarios, interactive and engaging games, and room to incorporate new material.
• Remain flexible and shorten class lengths to keep students engaged.
• Schedule more staff members than needed with back-up plans for key instructors.
• Do an inventory of supplies and review the facility to plan the timeline and work space.
• Communicate before, during, and after with all team members.
• Keep pricing low and stagger it based on the number of students, the school, and the potential use of grant money.
• Use the opportunity to provide information on current parks and recreation programs.
• When in doubt, have fun with the kids.
The Future
2019 was the first year for the field-trip program. As students return, the hope is to offer new material. BWAC is exploring ideas such as utilizing the disc-golf course around the facility, swim relay races, a junior-lifeguarding course, a babysitting course, and swim team drills and exercises.
Thomas Combs, CYSA, is the Program Coordinator for Boundary Waters Aquatic Center for the Douglas County Parks and Recreation Department in Georgia. Reach him at (770) 489-2175, or tcombs@co.douglas.ga.us.