Two aquatics and teaching assistant interns from Victoria YMCA have successfully run the 3rd annual swim meet at OYIS. Students from all grades from two schools, KIS and OYIS participated the event with smiles and laughter. This year's swim meet had the biggest turnout and participation then it's past two events.
Students cheered their peers from one side as parents did the same from the other side as they ecstatically watched their children do their best in the water. First to third student were awarded with ribbons that showed which place they made, all braved the slightly chilly water and completed their swim.
The interns have been working on the event for 3 weeks and 12 weeks with the children to teach them new skills and life saving water safety knowledge.
"The kids weren't keen at competing at first," says Ebru, one of the interns, "but we emphasized on the fun they can have, and soon most kids were signing up." And they were having fun, pop music blasting to pump them up, kids that weren't swimming waving handmade signs to show support, and children gaining confidence for completing the freestyle, backstroke, or breaststroke in front of their peers.