Henry

Unlike people who have fond memories of learning to swim, I actually did not have a very pleasant first encounter with deep water. On a family trip, at the age of 7, I nearly drowned because I did not know how to swim. It was a tough experience, but one which I was able to overcome through the support and encouragement of my first swim instructor.

At the age of 18, it was one of my personal goals to become a lifeguard, as I wanted to see if I had the skills to accomplish this daunting task. Through my local YMCA, I successfully completed the lifeguarding course and became certified as a lifeguard. Acquiring my certification was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life because it was, in part, overcoming a fear.

While pursuing an engineering degree at Rutgers University, I worked as a lifeguard and continued to improve my swimming, lifeguarding, and leadership skills through various aquatic programs offered at Rutgers. Eventually, I was promoted to Head Lifeguard, and had the pleasure of managing the university’s lifeguard staff and teaching lifeguarding courses as a Lifeguard Instructor.

In addition to lifeguarding, I also worked as a swim instructor at the Hoboken YMCA. I taught classes for all age groups and skill levels, and helped many students in reaching their goals for fitness, overcoming fears, improving their strokes, and most importantly, learning how to be safe in the water.

I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Rutgers, and I am currently pursuing a career in education. At Making Waves, I look forward to making your child’s experience in the water safe, enjoyable, and rewarding.

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