SPLASHForward
High School Lifeguard Training
Would you like to learn a skill that could save lives?
Our region is in short supply of lifeguards. We’d like to do our part to increase the number of lifeguards and provide high school students the opportunity to not only learn lifesaving skills, but also seek employment as a lifeguard at our local pools and beaches.
SPLASHForward is sponsoring lifeguard training for high school students. We cover the cost of your certification, support you with skill development, offer incentives, and provide you with resources to find a job. If you are unsure of your swim skills, we are happy to work with you so you can practice or aquire the skills. You can specify this when you sign up. You must be 15yrs old by the last day of the lifeguard training course. Sign up is on a first come first serve basis.
Thank you to our title sponsor Amazon and supporting sponsors Proliance Orthopedic Associates and Myrtha Pools. We would not be able to run our program and creatively reduce barriers to students without their support.
Lifeguard Training Program Workshops
We invite you to learn more about our high school lifeguard training program and learn from local facility Aquatics Directors, Lifeguard Instructors and student lifeguards. In a panel style discussion we share what it means to be a lifeguard, what is involved in getting certified, expectations, opportunities, and unique aspects of local facilities. Current student lifeguards will share their experiences and what they love about being a lifeguard.
Our spring 2023 workshops have been recorded for you to watch. You can also watch a recording of our National Injury Prevention Day Student Lifeguard Workshop (see below) that was held last November.
Watch a recording below and sign up to become a lifeguard today!
2023 Workshops
Watch the Recordings
Tuesday, March 28th (Virtual) – recording available
Wednesday, April 5th (Virtual) – recording available
National Injury Prevention Day
Student Lifeguard Workshop
Watch the recording
As part of National Injury Prevention Day 2022 , SPLASHForward and our partners UW Harborview Injury Prevention Research Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Public Health – Seattle & King County held a Student Lifeguard Workshop (virtually over Zoom) to introduce lifeguarding to students in south Seattle and south King County. A panel of aquatic managers, lifeguard instructors, and student lifeguards from south King County aquatic facilities shared what it means to be a lifeguard.
Watch the recording and sign up to become a lifeguard!
Course Dates
& Locations
We support registering you at training classes at various aquatic facilities and post class options on our site by facility below.
Note that pre-requisite swims are typically held the first hour on the first day of the class. If you are not sure of your swim skills, tell us in the registration so we can arrange time for you to practice or acquire the necessary skills.
Bellevue Club
We have the following options at the Bellevue Club. If the class shows FULL, please join our waitlist and let us know which class works best for you so we can contact you if there are cancellations. If times do not work with your schedule, please register so that we can follow up with you to get you in a class that works for you. If evenings from Thursday to Sunday work better for you, let us know as that is another option.
We will do everything we can to get you registered in a lifeguard training class!
Bellevue Club
Sessions: October Sat/Sun
- Sat and Sun 8:00am-6:00pm
Sessions: October Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun
- Thurs, Fri - 4pm - 10pm, Sat and Sun 6pm - 10pm
Bellevue Aquatic Center
You can sign up for the following options at the Bellevue Aquatic Center. We ask that you sign up using our form so we can cover your cost.
Note that pre-requisite swims will be held the first hour on the first day of the class. If you are not sure of your swim skills, tell us in the registration so we can arrange time for you to practice or acquire the necessary skills.
Bellevue Aquatic Center
Session 11 (LGT11): November Friday 10th - Sunday 12th
- Fri 3:30pm-9pm, Sat & Sun 9am - 7pm
- 3 day course on Fri / Sat / Sun
- 3:30pm - 9pm Fri, 9am to 6pm Sat and Sun (typically ends before 6pm)
- All days are required
- Online portion must be completed before first class (6-8hrs)
- Max 10 students per session. We will let you know if a session fills.
Samena Swim & Recreation Club
Check back for options at Samena Recreation and Swim Club in Bellevue.
Note that pre-requisite swims will be held the first hour on the first day of the class. If you are not sure of your swim skills, tell us in the registration so we can arrange time for you to practice or acquire the necessary skills.
Samena Recreation & Swim Club
November 3 - 5 (Friday - Sunday)
- Fri 5:00pm-9pm, Sat & Sun 9am - 5pm
December 27 - 29 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
- Weds, Thurs, Fri 9:00am-5pm
Strattonwood Swim Club
Check back in 2023 for training classes at Strattonwood Swim Club in Redmond.
Note that pre-requisite swims will be held the first hour on the first day of the class. If you are not sure of your swim skills, tell us in the registration so we can arrange time for you to practice or acquire the necessary skills.
Strattonwood Swim Club
August 21st - August 25th (Mon - Fri) - FULL
Other locations in Seattle & South King County
We also support lifeguard training at other public aquatic facilities in Seattle and South King County. If these locations work better for you, please view other lifeguard training class options at these facilities.
We maintain a waitlist, so if you are interested and none of the options work for you, please sign up! We will let you know of future opportunities.
We continually seek additional funding so that we can support interested students.
Know an organization or individual willing to fund our program? info@splashforward.org
Requirements
- Must be a current high school student age 15 and greater. Students must turn 15 before the last day of their training session.
- Online material requires at-home computer and internet access. It must be completed prior to the start of the in-person portion.
- NOTE: Once the student is registered in a training class, they will receive a link via email to access the online portion of the course.
- Must pass a prerequisite skills evaluation on the first day of class which includes:
- Swimming 300 meters
- Treading water for two minutes without hands
- Retrieving a ten-pound brick from a depth of nine feet and swimming 20 meters using legs only
If the swimming portion is a barrier, please let us know. We are looking for ways to support interested students that don’t currently meet all of the skill requirements.
Course Description
American Red Cross Lifeguard course taught in a blended learning format. Course requires an at-home computer and internet access. You will be emailed a link to gain access to the online portion by the Tuesday prior to class and will take about 6-8 hours to complete.
To obtain certification, students must:
- Attend the ENTIRE course
- Complete all online learning modules prior to the water portion
- Demonstrate competency in all required skills and scenarios
- Pass the final written exams with a minimum grade of 80 percent.
Upon successful completion, the student will receive an American Red Cross certificate for Lifeguarding/First Aid/CPR/AED which will be valid for two years
What to Bring to the Course
This format condenses lifeguard training all into one weekend. Participants should plan to spend long periods of time in the water and in the classroom.
The following items are *required or recommended:
- *State-issued photo ID (school ID is acceptable)
- *Proof of completion of online content
- *Swimsuit
- *Goggles
- Water bottle
- Food or meal plans
- Warm, dry change of clothes for classroom
- Contact case/solution if worn – participants are require to open eyes underwater
- Deck footwear
What happens after you become a certified lifeguard?
We will support you in finding a lifeguarding job.
We provide you with resources, how to apply and put your best foot forward, and direct contacts at local aquatic facilities. We share with you what the facilities are looking for and other opportunities the facilities provide.
Even if you don’t land a job right away, we will support you when you decide to find a job. Reach out to let us know when you are ready!
Questions?
Refer a Friend Incentive
Lifeguarding is more fun when you do it with a friend. SPLASHForward is offering a $25 incentive if you refer a friend to our program and they become a lifeguard. Here are our incentive details.
- If you participate in our program, get hired as a lifeguard, and refer a friend who also participates in our program and gets hired as a lifeguard, you will receive $25 from SPLASHForward.
- This incentive is active through end of 2023.
Thank you to our title sponsor Amazon, supporting sponsor Proliance Orthopedic Associates, Myrtha Pools, the Bellevue Club, the Bellevue Aquatic Center and all of our supporters who help make this opportunity possible!
We could not offer this program without you!
Sign Up!
Registration is on a first come first serve basis. We maintain a waitlist and will contact you about future opportunities!
Interested in supporting our program?
Are you or your business interested in sponsoring or supporting this program so we can grow to add more lifeguard training opportunities to more high school students?
We have some great ways you can help. Let’s talk!
SPLASHForward is leading the advocacy efforts to bring a comprehensive world-class public aquatics center to the Bellevue and satellite facilities to the region. We are a community advocacy group, aquatics thought leader, and private funding partner. Our mission is to provide our communities with a year-round health and wellness oasis with affordable access to aquatic programming so that everyone can be safe in the water, drownings are prevented, community connect fostered, and everyone is exposed to a lifetime of healthy lifestyle opportunities.
Learn more about SPLASHForward
