Education

Own Your Float is a student-led water safety initiative founded by Kate Casciato, a competitive swimmer and Teen Ambassador for the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. This guide draws from expert sources including the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (ndpa.org), the American Red Cross (redcross.org), Colin’s Hope (colinshope.org), and Stop Drowning Now (stopdrowningnow.org). It is designed for classroom teachers, school counselors, pediatric office staff, Boys & Girls Club leaders, and community volunteers. No pool, certification, or special training is required.

Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1–4 and the second leading cause for children ages 5–14. Nearly two-thirds of African-American children and almost half of Hispanic children have little or no swimming ability. The barrier is not always access — it is often inherited fear, passed down through families who were kept out of public pools for generations. This guide exists because a teacher can reach children in a way that a pamphlet never could.