CLARION, Pa. — The Redbank Valley School District recently partnered with the Clarion County YMCA for their “Everyone Swims” program.
(Pictured above: Students from Mrs. Carrier and Mrs. Traister’s third-grade class at the Redbank Valley Intermediate School were some of the first to receive swimming lessons as a result of the “Everyone Swims” program. Photos submitted by Kim Constantino.)
This program was able to be provided thanks to generous donors who have contributed to the Michael A. Constantino Swim Lesson Scholarship Fund and the United Way of Clarion County. This program is being offered to school districts in Clarion County.
On January 12, 2022, third-grade students at Redbank Valley became the first class to utilize this program. Costs were covered by the Michael A. Constantino Swim Lesson Scholarship Fund and transportation was provided by the Aiden Rupp Memorial Scholarship.
Michael Constantino is the son of David and Kim Constantino. Michael died in a drowning accident on June 8, 2004, at the age of seven.
He had just finished first grade at Clarion Elementary School and loved playing all kinds of sports, especially baseball. Kim Constantino is the Elementary School Counselor at Redbank Valley.
Aiden Rupp is the son of Tim and Amy Rupp. Amy Rupp is the Superintendent at Redbank Valley. Aiden left this world as a result of a drowning accident on August 4, 2021, at the age of three. He loved to swim, and his smile was contagious.
Tim and Amy have set up the Aiden Rupp Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Richard G. Snyder YMCA in Kittanning. Funds from the scholarship were used to provide transportation for the Redbank Valley students to the Clarion YMCA.
The district is pleased that they are able to partner with the YMCA to teach such an important skill to our students. Their goal is to be able to offer these lessons to other grade levels as funding is available.
Anyone interested in having their children participate in swimming lessons outside of the school day should contact the YMCA in Clarion or Kittanning to set up lessons through the scholarship funds.
