The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

PRESCOTT - Two lifeguards and a young mother turn circles in the pool and gently tap their hands on the water while singing "The Wheels on the Bus" in an attempt to coax a reluctant preschooler into the water. Soon, a young Jess Winona hops in the pool to provide another dose of encouragement. Across the pool, another guard instructs a group of advanced swimmers in the intricacies of the breaststroke kick. So begins the second session of swim lessons at the Prescott pool.

The Prescott pool offers a Mom & Tot class as well as beginner and advanced lessons. The second two-week session of lessons began on Monday and a third session will begin August 4. Thirty-five to forty children from Vista Hermosa also take lessons four days a week, prior to their free swim time, but those lessons are not open to the general public.

A $2,000 donation from Northwest Grain Growers (NWGG) allows the pool to offer free lessons to all residents in the 99348 zip code. Lessons are $25 for nonresidents. Prescott Parks & Rec. Department (PJPRD) Administrative Assistant Yvonne Jackson said this is the second year that NWGG has donated $2,000 to the Parks & Rec. Department. Both years, the donations have been used to fund swim lessons.

Right: Guard Eric Laib instructs advanced swimmers in the crawl stroke.

Jackson said this is also the second year that the pool has offered the Mom & Tot class, geared for infants to 4-yearolds. "Our goal in this class is just to make the children comfortable with the water. They learn not to be afraid of the water in their face and begin learning to kick and move their arms in the water," said Jackson. "And at this age they really need one-on-one attention, which is why we include the parents." Jackson said that one mothers with more than one child are welcome to bring along a friend as a helping hand.

As of Monday, there was only one child signed up for the Mom & Tot class, but 11 children participated in the previous session. Jackson said another 26 children attended the first session of the advanced and beginner lessons. Parents may sign their children up for lessons by visiting the front desk at the pool or by calling the pool at (509) 849-2314.

The Prescott pool is the only pool in the area with a selfoperated ADA compliant lift, which allows entry into and out of the pool without use of a ladder or steps.