JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – School is almost out for kids in the Jacksonville area, which means lots of students shifting from the classroom to the water.
Several groups in Jacksonville teamed up Saturday to promote water safety and prevent accidental drowning by kicking off the "Waterproof Jacksonville" campaign.
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The countywide campaign offers free swimming lessons to kids whose families are facing financial difficulty.
Mayor Alvin Brown announced his plans to expand the in-demand program.
"Today we've launched the expansion of Waterproof JAX, making sure that we have an opportunity to teach young people how to swim, to make sure that they don't drown," said Brown. "Florida is the No. 1 state for accidental drowning and my goal as mayor of Jacksonville is that we 'waterproof' Jacksonville."
More than 700 of Jacksonville's youth had the opportunity to learn how to swim last year. Thanks to generous donations and additional partners, the city is now offering 1,500 swimming lessons.
For more information, go to COJ.net.