Essential Water Competencies for our Keiki
Date: Thursday, March 7, 2024
Time: 8:30am–12:00pm
Location: Beginning at Hanahau'oli School, located at 1922 Makiki Street, Honolulu HI 96822 and concluding at Magic Island, Ala Moana Beach Park (2.2 miles, 10 min drive)
Cost: $100 per person
Scholarships are available! Please inquire here.
In Hawai‘i, we live on an island, which offers incredible opportunities for us to explore and enjoy aquatic environments. However, it also presents unique challenges and responsibilities when it comes to water safety. This is especially true for anyone that lives or works with children. Our keiki are often exposed to the ocean from a young age, making it essential for them to develop water competency skills early on. At this workshop, we will address the needs of parents/guardians and educators who want to ensure the safety of our keiki in and around water. The water safety skills will be learned both in a classroom environment and in the water.
In the workshop participants will be taught specific water safety skills that they can use to educate children. At the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped to create a safer aquatic experience for our keiki and foster a community that understands and practices water safety.
This workshop is essential for anyone who works with children, especially those in and around water. This includes Physical Education teachers, lifeguards, swim instructors, and parents/guardians.
Please note: this workshop is not a water safety certification course, but an informational educational experience that will teach participants basic water safety competencies and skills.
Workshop Agenda:
In the classroom at Hanahau‘oli School:
8:30-8:50 Introduction and ice- breaker “What does it mean to know how to swim?”
8:50-9:15 Hawaii Aquatic Foundation: what they started and why it’s important to continue their work
9:15-9:50 Water Competencies – Making the shift from swimming skills to water competencies
9:50-10:00 Review beach tasks. Break up into groups for the beach. Handouts, and Questions
In and out of the water at Ala Moana Beach Park:
10:00-10:30 Travel to Magic Island, Ala Moana Beach Park, Lifeguard Tower 1E (12 minute drive, 2.2 miles) and be ready with swimsuit, rash guard, sun protection, and goggles (optional)
10:30-12:00 16 Water Competencies and how to teach them across all levels
About the Facilitator:
Chelsea Huang was born and raised in San Francisco, CA and moved to Hawai’i in 2006 to swim at UH-Manoa. She quickly found a wonderful group within the swim community and it reignited her love for open water swimming. She has 2 decades of experience teaching, coaching, and training swimmers of all ages and abilities. Water safety was instilled in her at a very young age and combined with her experience and love for swimming she hopes to share that with as many of Hawai’i's keiki as she can.