Splash Mid-South is a community-wide, volunteer initiative developed to give more children the opportunity to learn to swim.
Formed after the tragic drowning deaths of two Memphis teens on the same day in 2008, we are committed to providing free or low-cost swim lessons, encouraging minority in swimming, supporting lifeguard training, increasing water safety awareness, and providing community CPR training.
Splash Mid-South, led by a group of volunteers and representative from area aquatic centers and swim clubs, local schools and universities, local government, and organizations dedicated to children’s safety and wellness, is committed to keeping children safe in and around water. Splash Mid-South strives to ensure that children and their families in our community are comfortable around water, know how to swim, and how to respond in case of an emergency.
Our efforts are based upon research from the University of Memphis that shows African American and Latino children are more likely to drown than their Caucasian counterparts.
Splash Mid-South, is a community coalition led by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Safe Kids Mid-South, City of Memphis, Shelby County Government, The University of Memphis, The Benjamin Hooks Institute for Social Change, Memphis Tiger Swimming, The YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South and Memphis Pool.
Swim Lessons
Connecting at risk children to local swim lessons is one of our top priorities. We partner with local aquatic centers to help children become familiar with the water and learn lifelong skills.
Splash Mid-South offers free or low-cost swim lessons or water safety courses to children ages 6-12. For more information about swim lessons at the City of Memphis aquatic centers, contact:
Hickory Hill Aquatic Center
3910 Ridgeway Road
Memphis, TN 38115
901-566-9685
Bickford Aquatic Center, City of Memphis
235 Henry Avenue
Memphis, TN 38107
901-578-3732
To receive free or low-cost swim lessons, the child should meet the following qualifications:
Age 6 – 12 years
Must receive any kind of Tennessee assistance
Must be able to attend all 10 sessions
Must have swim suit, goggles, towel (may be provided, if not possible to provide)
Must have transportation to and from the swim lesson site
CPR Training
Each year Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital treats nearly 40 children who drown or almost drown in pools, ponds or other bodies of water.
Home swimming pools are the most common site for a drowning to occur for a child between the ages 1 to 4 years, according to Safe Kids USA.
Parents and caregivers who supervise children in the water must know how to perform CPR. CPR can save your child’s life.
Splash Mid-South offers free “friends and family” CPR training sessions annually. The course is designed to arm parents and caregivers with the knowledge of how to respond in a tragic situation.
For more information contact Jennifer Taylor at jennifer.taylor@lebonheur.org or (901) 287-5992.
Mid-South Aquatic Resources
Research
Splash Mid-South has based its efforts on cutting-edge research about minorities and swimming participation from the University of Memphis.
In the first study of its kind, “Constraints Impacting Minority Swimming Participation” discovered the gaps and barriers in minority swimming:
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68.9 percent of African American youth and 57.6 percent of Hispanic/Latino youth have no or low swimming ability
University of Memphis researchers Carol C. Irwin, PhD, and Richard L. Irwin, EdD, conducted this research commissioned by USA Swimming.
Splash Mid-South partners with the University of Memphis and the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change to study minorities and swimming participation.
Support
Supporting Splash Mid-South allows us to teach children to swim. We appreciate those who help us keep kids safe in and around the water.
Donate online or mail a check payable to Splash Mid-South:
Attn: Jennifer Taylor
Splash Mid-South
850 Poplar Building 2
Memphis,TN 38105
For more information, contact Jennifer Taylor at jennifer.taylor@lebonheur.org or 901-287-5992.
Donations to Splash Mid-South are deemed charitable under Section 501(a) of the internal revenue code as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3). Donations are processed by Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital which coordinates the efforts of Splash Mid-South.