Farmingdale SEPTA Sponsors Successful 'SPLASH' Program

SEPTA, the district-wide Special Education Parent Teacher Association, just completed its pilot program of SPLASH, an instructional swim program for students with special needs in the Farmingdale community. SPLASH, which stands for Special Swimming Program for Lifelong Aquatic Safety and Health, welcomed 25 students at the pool on Saturday afternoons for an eight-week program that launched last December.

 “We expected only 12 students for this pilot program but were pleasantly surprised to have had 25 children sign up,” said Jean Brown, president of Farmingdale SEPTA.

When the program began on Dec. 11, the students’ swimming abilities were assessed so they could be placed in appropriate groups for subsequent sessions according to skill level. Once in their respective groups, a team of coaches and trained volunteers taught the students vital swimming skills and played games with them. The lessons even included conga lines to energetic songs like “Splish Splash I Was Taking a Bath” and music from SpongeBob SquarePants.

The SPLASH program was a result of the determination of 17-year-old Nora Reade, a senior at Farmingdale High School. With the assistance of Brown and Walter Brem, director of the Farmingdale Youth Council, Reade created a customized instructional swimming program geared for special needs children in the district.

After presenting the SPLASH program concept to the Farmingdale Youth Council, Farmingdale Aquatics, Farmingdale SEPTA and the Farmingdale High School varsity swim coaches, Reade got the support of all groups and began working out the details.

Reade worked with the American Red Cross to develop the swim curriculum and customized the training for special needs kids, including children who are auditory challenged. Reade and two other volunteers participating in the program – Jen Barnola and Nicole Lauro – are able to communicate in American Sign Language.

Having dealt with learning challenges in her own life, Reade was determined to see this program become a reality. “This program is one way I can give back for all the help I have received.  It is one way I can ‘pay it forward,’” she said.  “I want to extend special thanks to Jean Brown, Walter Brem and Coaches Ken Ilchuk, Randy Corcoran and Bill Manton for believing in me and making SPLASH come to fruition.”

Reade and her mother, Barbara Blair-Reade, a SPLASH team coordinator, worked to recruit volunteers and instructors from the Farmingdale High School varsity swim and diving teams as well as Farmingdale Aquatics. The water safety-swim instructors consisted of the following team of young adults, Nora Reade as the head instructor along with Joe Reade, Kelly Harris, Krista Klicpera and Austin Wertheimer.

“To see the interaction between the typical high school students and those who have challenges is a humbling sight,” Brown said.  “We should be proud of these students and hope that this experience will make them more tolerant and understanding of those with special needs.  They have already enriched their lives as well as those of us watching and participating.”

Other volunteers who braved the chilly water for the SPLASH program included Farmingdale High School students Jen Barnola, Cindy Burhans, Danielle Cappadona, Nicolette DiMartino, Brittany Dolan, Danielle Flaherty, Lindsay Gazzo, Kris Harris, Sarah Hecht, Lindsay Hemminger, Sarah Hendrickson, Nicole Lauro, Vincent Mattei, Byron Perez, Jasmine Rashid, Maddie Reilly, Melissa Renga, Chris Prechtl and Courtney Sack.

Other individuals responsible for the success of the SPLASH include Program Supervisor Marlaina Dinkel and Program Lifeguard Alex Pyros.

The final SPLASH session of the season took place Sat., Feb. 12 followed by a celebration and awards ceremony for the children and volunteers in the Farmingdale High School cafeteria.

For more information about Farmingdale SEPTA go to http://farmingdaleschools.org/fps/files/HMS/SEPTA/SEPTA_Brochure.10.11.pdf