You’re terrified. You’ve never done this before, but today you have to try.

All of your fellow classmates are encouraging you to dive into your fears and go for it. You look down into the dark, blue water and shiver because it looks so cold. You pause, hold your breath, and jump in. Splash! When your eyes meet the surface of the water, you hear the excitement of your classmates. The gym teacher looks at you and says, “Congratulations! You are the first student to jump into the new pool.” The ten feet deep swimming pool on the first floor seems to be one of the mysteries that fills students with wonder. As the Juneau Campus has reopened, the pool has already brought many new opportunities for the students, the staff, and the community.

During the second semester of gym, students will have the opportunity to learn how to swim. The new class will start in the winter and will feature the fundamentals of swimming. “All students who take the swim class will learn the basic swim strokes and techniques. We will also do some fitness activities, as well as games,” said Amanda Schenk, Juneau Campus’s new gym teacher. Schenk has also taught other swimming classes. Last year she taught swim at Madison Academic Campus.

Schenk guarantees that at least 75-80% of the students who take the class will be able to swim at the end. How can she be so sure?

“If they do not know how to swim, they need to be open to the possibility of trying new things, and maybe even doing things that scare them. People can be surprised at what they can do when they set their minds to it,” she said.

If courage is not enough, she has another plan. “Life jackets will be provided,” she said.

Not just for gym
The pool is not just for gaining credit. For example, there are also swim teams for those who are passionate about swimming as a sport. “There is a girls swim team through the co-op we have other schools, including Montessori, Marshall, Milwaukee School of Languages, and Morse, as well as a boys team,” said Schenk. Students can also work in the pool for minimum wage.

MPS Recreation (REC) started working with the Juneau Campus back in May and is continuing all year round for both Community and Montessori High School. The recreation program is part of the MPS system and runs activities for both high schools and elementary schools.

REC department manager, Gary Dettman, said that MPS is currently interested in some students from Juneau working for the pool. They can work at the door and in locker rooms. “REC is always looking for workers to help when the pool is opened,” he said. Another job for students is working as lifeguards in the aquatics program.

“We do all the training that is required, and we always have lifeguards on duty when the pool is opened,” Dettman added. At the present time, the Special Olympics and Adaptive Athletics programs are in the building three days a week and Saturdays, according to Dettman. These programs are held at night along with the aquatics programs. REC welcomes students, staff, and even people from the community to join them. “We plan to offer more programs in the future for the community,” said Dettman.

All students will be swimming
The Juneau Campus gym teacher has big hopes for the pool next semester. “I hope that people come excited to get in the pool and swim,” said Schenk. “It depends on the person. Some people catch on real fast and some people take a while to get the hang of it.” “My hope is that all of the students will be swimming by the end of the class.”