• National Water Safety Month Campaign Brings Goldfish Swim School's Total Donation to USA Swimming Foundation to Over $250,000
• Leading Swim School & Olympic Swimming Gold Medalists Share Must-Know Summer Water Safety Tips
• Safer Swimmer Grand Prize Winner Receives $5K All-Expenses Paid Golden Family Getaway, Top School Wins VIP Pool Party with Olympian Ryan Murphy for Making Waves for Water Safety

With today marking the first day of summer, Goldfish Swim School o-fish-ally announces it has reached over 450 million with its second annual National Water Safety Month (May) 'Safer Swimmer Pledge' campaign, helping families prioritize water safety and drowning prevention this summer season. As a result of these remarkable impressions and strong engagement, Goldfish Swim School's total donation to the USA Swimming Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, now exceeds $250,000 – all funds go toward helping provide the opportunity for every child across the country to learn to swim.

Safer Summers Start Now – with summer now underway, heat waves sweeping the nation and a rise in drowning incidents, Goldfish Swim School continues to encourage the prioritization of water safety as families head to pools, beaches and lakes this summer. Sadly, the summer months (May – August) account for two-thirds of annual childhood drowning incidents, according to Total Aquatics Programming data. Whether at home or on summer vacation, know that drowning can happen anywhere at any time, to anyone, but there are several water safety tips to help reduce the risk and keep families safe this season. #Watersafety #Drowingprevention #Summers

6 MUST-KNOW SUMMER WATER SAFETY TIPS:

1. Enroll in Swim Lessons: One of the best ways to protect your children against drowning is to improve comfort level in the water and strengthen swimming capabilities through swim lessons, which have been proven to reduce the risk of childhood drowning by 88%.
2. Swap Out Floaties & Puddle Jumpers for U.S. Coastguard-Approved Lifejackets: Don't rely on floaties and puddle jumpers to keep your kids afloat. They give children a false sense of security in the water and they can easily come loose or deflate. Search for the Coast Guard approval on floatation devices and pay attention to proper fit in order to keep your child's head above water and allow for proper breathing.
3. Designate a Water Guardian: A Water Guardian's sole responsibility is to keep an eye on the swimmers. Vigilance is key – no chatting, no checking your phone, no distractions. Be sure to change guardians every 30 minutes to stay alert and refreshed.
4. Pay Attention to the Current & Tide: How fast the water is moving can be very deceptive, making it easy to be swept away if Water Guardians are not aware. Try to swim in areas where lifeguards are present, and where nets/barriers restrict you from going out too far. Be aware of the tide and try to find a gentler water area or a children's beach/cove that is more protected.
5. Avoid Murky Water: Never dive into water where you cannot see the bottom. The water could be shallower than expected or there could be debris that can cause serious injury if jumped on or dove into. Follow the NO SWIMMING signs posted. Check with local authorities if you are not sure of the quality of the water, and always err on the side of caution.
6. Seek out Bright Colored Swimwear & Properly Fitted Goggles: When shopping for swimwear, avoid colors that could blend in with the water and choose swimsuits with bright colors instead. They will stand out in the water and make it easier to spot a swimmer in need of help. When shopping for goggles, make sure they fit around the eye comfortably, that the nose piece is not too tight or too wide and that straps easily adjust.

With 130 locations, teaching more than 180,000 children each week how to be safer in and around the water, Goldfish Swim School had immense participation in this year's Safer Swimmer Pledge campaign - everyone working together to drive pledges to help combat the childhood drowning epidemic and make a real impact in communities across North America. Ambassadors championing the cause included a rockstar line up of World Champion Swimmer & Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Murphy, Four-Time Olympic Swimming Medalist & First African American World Record Holder Cullen Jones, who is also the Senior Manager of Sports Marketing and Philanthropy at Speedo USA - an official partner of the campaign, and Goldfish Swim School's official pediatrician Dr. Molly O'Shea of Birmingham Pediatrics + Wellness Center.

Throughout the campaign, Goldfish Swim School celebrated Safer Swimmers by gifting various Safer Swimmer Prize Packs, free swim lesson giveaways and the grand prize of the Safer Swimmer Golden Family Getaway valued at $5,000 that was awarded to the Zabinski family in Chapel Hill, NC. Goldfish Swim School - Pittsford in New York brought in the most pledges across all schools, and as a result, are the official winners of a VIP pool party celebration with Olympian Ryan Murphy, to be scheduled later this summer after Murphy returns from the Fina World Championships.

"The engagement and enthusiasm surrounding this year's 'Safer Swimmer Pledge' campaign has been simply unmatched," said Chris McCuiston, CEO and co-founder of Goldfish Swim School. "When we come together like this, we become an unstoppable force on a mission to make big waves for water safety awareness and reduce the number of accidental childhood drownings. Our message is simple, your safer summers start now – join us in prioritizing water safety awareness to help keep your families safe this summer."

For more information on Goldfish Swim School, please visit https://www.goldfishswimschool.com/.

Founded by husband and wife team Chris and Jenny McCuiston, Goldfish Swim School provides swim lessons and water safety instruction to infants and children ages four months to 12 years. Classes are offered by specially trained instructors in a safe, child-friendly and fun environment using their research-based philosophy called The Science of SwimPlay®. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, Goldfish Swim School was established in Birmingham, Michigan in 2006, and opened its first franchise location in 2009. Recently, the brand was recognized by Entrepreneur in its Franchise 500® ranking, Franchise Times' Fast & Serious List, and Inc. Magazine's Top 5000. Goldfish Swim School is currently in the process of expanding franchise opportunities throughout North America, with more than 130 schools open, and an additional 120+ in development in more than 30 states and Canada.