In 2024, Kendall Subaru of Marysville worked with the Marysville Family YMCA to launch its first ever Splash 3rd Grade Swim Program, providing kids within the Marysville School District with free swim lessons and equipping them with essential water safety skills.
Since its start the program has continued to grow, serving nearly 700 kids over the past three years. The program has also expanded to serve more classrooms, including at Grove Elementary, Allen Creek Elementary, and Quil Ceda Elementary, with more schools expected to join in the coming year.
The YMCA has a goal to help all 3rd graders within our community receive access to swim lessons and this program is not only a response to the immediate need for water safety education, but also a long-term investment in the community’s future. Multiple bodies of water surround the greater Marysville and Tulalip area, creating a need for local children to be well-equipped to navigate water safely, especially with summer on the horizon. Beyond teaching swim skills, students also had the opportunity to meet with real lifeguards and discuss different emergencies that could happen around water, helping them learn how to stay safe and respond in an emergency.
Each year we continue to hear from teachers that this program provides not only water safety skills and exercise, but it also helps kids grow their confidence, helps them return to the classroom more focused, and that they have fun with their fellow classmates. We have seen kids of varying skills as well, with this program being the first swim lesson kids have received and the first time some kids have ever been in the water.
Kendall Subaru of Marysville is proud to once again be the Flagship Sponsor of the Splash 3rd Grade Swim Program and has provided $20,000 each year, now totaling $60,000, to help kids in our community continue to receive these free swim lessons. We’re honored to work with the Marysville Family YMCA on this initiative and are excited to continue to grow the program in the years to come.
About the YMCA: YMCA of Snohomish County is a cause-driven nonprofit dedicated to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Since 1901, we’ve stood with our communities—through times of growth and challenge—committed to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Our programs nurture potential, strengthen families, promote wellness, and foster belonging. Rooted in equity and inclusion, we welcome all people, from every background and life stage, to be part of a stronger, more connected community.
