Raleigh swimmers take part in World's Largest Swimming Lesson

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Raleigh Optimist Aquatic Center is one of 600 pools worldwide participating in the World's Largest Swimming Lesson.

The lesson, which lasted 30 minutes, focused on the basics for kids participating, including proper breathing while swimming, arm movement and kicks.

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Dee Faison has had her 8- and 5-year-old children in swimming lessons for some time now.

Faison said she thinks it's important to her and her husband that their children take swimming lessons.

"I know growing up I didn't know how to swim and my husband, he didn't learn how to swim until college," Faison said.

On average, the CDC reports 390 kids between the ages of 0-14 will drown annually in swimming pools.

African-American children between the ages of 5 and 19 are 5.5 times more likely to drown.

"It's very sad," Faison said. "But I do notice that for some reason we take our lessons later on in life."

"It's very important for kids to learn how to swim, and every adult even. All people should learn how to swim. You never know when you're going to be in and around water," said Terri Stroupe, the director of aquatics for the City of Raleigh.