![Hosting the SCLA Casptone Mentor Dinner outside allowed for more attendees on September 27, 2021 at Silver Creek. This event would’ve usually been held inside. According to Lauren Kohn, a SCLA 12 teacher, “If we have a higher number of people, as long as we can host the event outside, then that seems to be keeping every[one] safe”.](https://schsnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/sxMAIGbSYGodZkqmrvTi5YWcJ1ssWA08ApkeMLpp-900x675.jpeg)
When someone walks into Centennial Pool on a Wednesday evening, they will hear the shouts of excited children as they participate in swim classes. Students at Silver Creek High School might see a familiar face of a classmate in the water, instructing their class.
One of these instructors is brand new. Amisi Maynard, a junior at Silver Creek, was just certified as a Water Safety Instructor (WSI). She works Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and has found that communication and attentiveness is important when teaching.
“You have to be paying attention all the time,” Maynard said. “You have kids who learn in different ways, so you have to figure out what works for which kid and really observe.”
Despite the challenges of learning how to adapt to teaching each child, Maynard has developed a passion for instructing.
“I love to teach kids and help people,” Maynard said. “It’s super, super fulfilling. It makes me feel very, very happy to see progress in kids.”
Sam Haddon, a senior at Silver Creek, has been involved in Water Safety for a while longer than Maynard, as she did swim lessons as a child through the City of Longmont. When her mom found and suggested the Longmont Swim Instructor (LSI) certification class, Haddon decided to go into teaching.
“The core part of it is working with the kids and seeing them progress,” Haddon said. “I think there’s something so special about their enthusiasm and how excited they can get, especially about swim lessons.”
Taking things a step further, Haddon is now Head WSI, meaning she supervises and teaches more than just the kid in the Learn to Swim program. She moved through the ranks by stepping up, communicating, and getting into more leadership roles.
“Now in the head WSI position, I have been working with the instructors and seeing them grow as people, step into more leadership, and get better at what they’re doing,” Haddon said.
Aspiring to become a teacher has also encouraged Haddon to progress in leadership. She currently works as a lifeguard as well, guarding one day, teaching private lessons another, and managing the next. The hard work Haddon puts into her job is apparent, but it is because she loves it.
“Just come at it with your heart,” Haddon said. “If your heart’s in it, and you are doing your best to enjoy what you’re doing, and you’re trying to connect with the kids you’re teaching, it’s gonna be a great experience.”
Using her heart, Haddon finds ways to connect with her students whenever possible. This connection through swim instruction has changed her outlook on life to be more positive.
“Working with the kids has reinstated a sense of wonder that I feel like a lot of people tend to lose,” Haddon said. “Getting to see how excited they are about getting to go to the pool and do swim lessons and see all their swimming friends, I think I’ve been able to take a little bit of that into myself.”
Heather Gehm is one of the Swim Lesson specialists. She oversees all of the instructors and managers (including Maynard and Haddon), sets up class times, and ensures everyone on the pool deck is organized and happy. Gehm started to teach when she was 15 and has moved up through leadership roles to becoming a Swim Lesson specialist.
Three and a half years later, Gehm is continuing to coach the 40 instructors through all of their experiences. These instructors not only work with many students from different schools, but Gehm has seen them grow and move into new areas.
As instructors gain confidence, their relationships with their co-workers are strengthened and they use each other as resources. Many instructors even build relationships with other employers, such as babysitting for the families of their students.
“[The instructors are] networking and finding people in different industries and career paths, keeping them moving forward, because parents have already seen them in that working environment,” Gehm said. “[The parents] know how wonderful [the instructors] are.”
This is a job that employees can always fall back on, even once they graduate college. The hours and scheduling are flexible. With over 900 regular positions and 400 seasonal positions, the City of Longmont also offers instructors many new opportunities, inviting them to grow.
“The cool thing about working with the City of Longmont is that you’re part of a city environment, so you already have your foot in the door with hundreds of positions,” Gehm said. “[The instructor] can have an actual reference that they know is real.”
Even though Gehm has those opportunities as an option, she has chosen to stay in the swim lessons realm as a Swim Lesson Specialist. She believes that the job carries more importance than one would think.
“One of the most rewarding things about being a swim instructor is giving that chance for those kids that wouldn’t have it,” Gehm said. “[As an instructor], you’re changing [the students’] lives and you’re giving them that chance to go be a part of that [water activity].”
Not only does Gehm see the benefits of learning to swim, but so do the children participating in classes.
“[The students] keep coming back and they want to learn more … [the instructors] did that,” Gehm said. “It’s pretty cool.”
