The definition of swimming is "the sport or activity of propelling oneself through the water using limbs." I feel like swimming has helped propel me throughout my life, by providing me with many options. It has kept me focused and competitive throughout high school, opened job opportunities and more importantly, allowed me to contribute to the community. It is something that completes me, which makes it something that completes this application.
I was introduced to swimming before I was five years old but did not realize the importance of it until after eighth grade. I learned that swimming is an activity that requires time and commitment and that I could not be competitive in the sport unless I put in the work. The effort required in swimming
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It introduced me to an enormous problem that occurs every day around the world. In today's society knowing how to swim properly is often not viewed as a priority. Parents often see swim lessons as expensive and useless; they believe that if the child can touch the bottom of the pool, then they are safe. I realized that there was something I could do to help those who could not afford lessons by organizing a community service project, "Safety in Swimming." I located a community in Charlotte, NC that housed refugee and underprivileged families and received permission to set up a free swim clinic for the children. Recruiting a few fellow swimmers through my club swim program was not a problem, however, after the first year I knew I would have to work harder to find more volunteers to meet the demand of all of the children who were eager to learn. Another problem that I witness in the first year was that many of the children were swimming in their regular clothes, and did not have goggles because they were unaffordable. To solve this problem, during the winter months, I partnered with a nonprofit organization, "Project 658" and a local realty company, and the next summer we were able to provide swimsuits and goggles to all children in need. "Saftey in Swimming" is the most rewarding project I have ever completed. To see the smiles on the children's