Good Press

I've blogged before about Camille's Monday Night swimming lessons in the Adaptive Swim Lesson Program directed by Glenn Wragge, the adaptive PE teacher through Millard Public Schools. Today, the Saturday edition of the Omaha world herald featured a story on the program; we were so glad to see Glenn's program get some great coverage as it is something to behold. Without it, we would be shy of somewhere to take Camille for lessons as her visual impairment commands one-on-one instruction.

The picture at left was one of the pictures featured in the story. The story follows my post.

Camille started in the program probably about two years ago. It has been amazing to see her progress since those first days in the pool. Once she hits the water, she goes and goes and goes, sometimes in a swim vest solo, sometimes with her instructor's assistance. Her newest endeavor is holding her breath underwater and floating completely independently for short periods of time.

What's more, she gets extremely excited on swimming lesson Mondays and often asks every other day of the week when it will be Monday so she can go swimming with Tara, Jill, or whomever her instructor happens to be during the particular 8 week session that she is in at the time. She has developed such positive bonds from the program, both with the instructors and with Glenn and Mike, two of the program directors that are there year-round. Mike, a professor in the physical education program at UNO, has particulary become an object of Camille's fascination. His shaved head drew the attention of Camille early on, and she has been known to ask him, "Michael John, where did your hair go?" or "Mike, did you lose your hair?" to which Glenn replied, "Oh, yeah...she is way out of her shell."

You just don't get the whole package like this everywhere, and how we realize how fortunate we are to have such amazing people committing themselves to such an amazing program.

The story from the newspaper:

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Water power

BY CAROL BICAK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

It's Monday night, and the swimming area in the Lied Physical Fitness Center at the College of St. Mary is ringing with the sounds of splashing water, excited chatter and squeals of delight.

But it's not the school's swim team making noise. It's a special swimming class for people with physical and mental disabilities.

The program began about 15 years ago when Glen Wragge, an instructor with Millard Public Schools and the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and Barb Simpson, the health, wellness and aquatics director at the College of St. Mary, joined forces.

"It started with a parent's request, because he didn't have anywhere to take his kids swimming," Wragge said.

The classes have grown over the years. Now the eight-week sessions draw between 40 and 50 people every Monday night. The participants' ages vary from 1 to 50.

Each student gets his or her own teacher for two reasons, Wragge said: safety and training that is tailored to each swimmer's needs.

Although there are a few paid instructors, students from UNO, other area colleges and Millard high schools volunteer to help teach the classes. The college students are doing practicums for credit or working on service hours, Wragge said. The others just love swimming and working with people.

Wragge had praise for all his , instructors.

"Sometimes, people aren't comfortable working with people with special needs," he said. "For the most part, this (mix of instructors) works out really well."

Liz Opitz, a junior at Millard North, doesn't claim to be a world-class swimmer but volunteered because she had worked with disabled students at school.

"I enjoy it and helping others," she said.

The swimmers, no matter what age, seem to have a great time in the classes. From 6:45 to 7:15 p.m., the younger children take a turn in the pool. The older students and adults get a little longer in the water, from 7:15 to 8 p.m.

All Mary Holtmeyer has to do is tell her 5-year-old daughter, Emma, who has Down syndrome, that it's swimming night, and the little girl lights up.

"I like that the teaching is one-on-one, so she gets special attention," Holtmeyer said. The instructors "are just great. They do everything they can for the kids, and that's all a parent can ask for."

Karen Richardson enrolled sons Ryan, 12, and Tyler, 5, in the classes, mainly for Ryan's sake. It's the fourth session he has taken, Richardson said, and she has seen a difference in both his swimming skills and his self-esteem.

Before he began lessons, Ryan was shy about scars he has from surgeries and didn't like the water, his mom said.

"The lessons are really like private lessons, and the cost is reasonable," Richardson said. "They are great for kids who just don't fit in."

Logan Schneider, 12, has improved so much in the classes that he now competes in Special Olympics. His father, Mark Schneider, said Logan entered three swimming events last March and took home three ribbons.

Before taking the classes, Logan "knew how to swim, but he'd never been in a big pool like this," Mark Schneider said. "And he loves to compete."

Another Special Olympics competitor, Matt Frohm, 21, has Asperger syndrome and has been taking the class for four years.

His parents, Scott and Judy Frohm, recently watched him work with his instructor on the far side of the pool. They can list numerous ways the swimming program has helped Matt.

"He has learned confidence and interacting with other people," Judy Frohm said. "He has developed stamina and is in better physical condition." ,

• Contact the writer: 444-1067, carol.bicak@owh.com

Copyright 2009 Omaha World-Herald. All rights reserved.
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