Golden Secondary School has created a one-of-a-kind program to train students to become lifeguards in partnership with the Town of Golden.
What started as a creative idea to help fill lifeguarding jobs at the Golden Pool has turned into a milestone project other municipalities are already looking to copy, explained GSS principal Iris Trask.
Between Trask and Town of Golden manager of recreation services Jordan Petrovics and recreation services coordinator Kim Bryan, they came up with a plan to incorporate lifeguard training in the high school.
It’s no easy feat, and involves a lot of training in the school, at the Ramada pool, and a few trips to Radium’s large pool, said teacher Rhys Badenoch. It requires mandatory attendance from the students to ensure they pass their bronze level and national lifeguarding certifications, which can be difficult for students who juggle extra curricular activities.
“There’s a lot of fitness components and it’s mandatory attendance too, so you can’t miss a class without making it up,” Badenoch said. “I think it’s an awesome program. So far, it’s been good. The kids are really motivated, which is awesome.”
But, it should all pay off for the students at GSS once summer comes, and they will be able to apply for well paying lifeguarding jobs at the pool, which opens in May.
“Apparently we’re the first public school, at least in this area, if not Canada, that has ever run a lifeguarding academy at a public school. Usually, it is private schools or colleges only,” Badenoch said. “The Golden pool is struggling for lifeguards. As long as you’re 16, you can be certified as a lifeguard… That’s kind of cool.”
There are a few challenges that come with the course, like not having a full sized pool to practice in while the outdoor pool is closed. Fitting all of the students in at the Ramada pool has been difficult, Badenoch said, but they will take trips to Radium for the certification and testing.
The school has offered other training programs to its students in the past, like the ski patrol program. Since it is all offered through the school, it is free for the students to participate in, explained Trask.
“It’s the same model we’ve been doing with the ski patroller program,” she said.
The school was approached by the Town in order to have lifeguards available at the pool. Badenoch was chosen to fill the teacher’s role in the school because of his background in physical education, and his swimming certifications. Bryant is a qualified teacher with the Town who provides the training to the students.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Trask said. “And, I do know that there are municipalities that are looking at the model from around B.C., they are quite intrigued.”
