Local program teaches Hempstead children how to swim

"

A local swimming program in the Village of Hempstead is teaching generations of African Americans how to swim. Lifeguard supervisor Todd Trotman has been running a swim program for more than a decade. "We teach kids how to breathe, how to kick, we teach both kids and adults the fundamentals," added Troutman. According to state officials, African American children are most at risk of drowning, compared than any other ethnic group. Troutman says the lack of pools and qualified swimming lessons in communities of color are contributing factors. "Some of our kids don't have the opportunity to have access to a pool to learn how to swim," explains Troutman. The Village of Hempstead has applied for state funding to upgrade its community pools and expand its swim program. "