From March through June each year, Haven students can be found “drowning” in the high school pool. Thankfully, they’re in no actual danger — the students are participating in rescue drills as a part of IM Pools’ lifeguard certification class. 

Mr. Steve Woolery, a health and physical education teacher at Haven and an American Red Cross lifeguard instructor for IM Pools, facilitates the class in Haven’s own swimming pool. 

“I’ve been certified since 1999,” Woolery said. “I’ve been teaching lifeguard classes every year since then.”

Many students looking to earn some money and job experience over the summer reference lifeguarding as an ideal post for teenagers. Tess Berger, a sophomore who completed the class during her freshman year, now works as a guard at the Swarthmore Swim Club. 

“It’s just a really good summer job for whoever wants some extra work and can swim, and is up for the task,” Berger said. 

The prospect of spending several grueling days completing the course and the tests required to pass it can often seem intimidating to interested students. 

“When they come in on day one, and I explain to them what the final big rescue is, they honestly think there’s no chance that they can do it,” Woolery said.

As a final test, students are split into groups, and timed as they complete a rescue at the deep end of the pool. They must dive in, pull someone off of the bottom, remove them from the pool using a spinal board, and then demonstrate proper CPR and other lifesaving medical steps on a mannequin. 

“At the end, I have them raise their hands, and then I say, ‘Okay, you can clap for yourself,’” Woolery said. “And then they all go crazy, and they’re so excited for each other. That’s my favorite part of the course.”

Like many of the students Woolery has guided through the process of earning their certifications, Berger reflects that the pay-off of completing the course is much greater than the effort it requires. 

“It’s kind of more just mentally being up for it,” Berger said. “But once you’re done with the weekend, it’s definitely worth it.”

Abbey Minton, a sophomore who participated in the April 10-12 session of the class, found that the lengthy certification process was much more enjoyable than she expected. 

“I was very much dreading it,” Minton said. “But it felt like summer camp, that’s the best way I can describe it.”

Minton appreciated the episodes of the show “Baywatch” that the students watched together at the beginning of each class, and during their lunch breaks. 

“That was a nice moment to chill out and just bring some fun into the experience,” Minton said. 

Kenzie MacCallum, another sophomore who participated in the April session of the class, referenced the prerequisite swim test as the most difficult part of the course. 

“We swam six laps, and then we had to tread water for two minutes, without really using our arms. And then we had to swim another two laps,” MacCallum said. “I don’t know why it sounds easy, it’s so hard.”

Although Woolery agrees that this test is usually the hardest for students to complete, he believes that any student capable of checking that box has the ability to be successful in the course.

“If they can get through that, typically they get through the class,” Woolery said. 

Woolery and his students agree that the class is a tiring but rewarding way to spend a weekend, and that each student leaves with valuable new skills. 

“It was not nearly as bad as I could have imagined,” Minton said.