DEMOPOLIS – Thirty children graduated from the summer swimming program at the Jones Pool and Recreation Building on Thursday.

Jones Pool Manager Willie Basil has taught hundreds of children and adults how to swim, as well as life guarding skills for the advanced students. Basil said he’s been teaching these children for many, many years and really enjoys the look on their faces when they swim that final lap to earn their certificate.

“I had a great group of children this year including a lot of children who were interested in learning to swim, but still to young,” Basil said.

Basil has a great staff of adults and teenagers helping him to protect the children that are swimming from the dangers that come with mixing children and water. Tony Pittman, Don Johnson, Nicholas James, and Shirley Bell are all assistant managers of the pool and they have helped a great deal this summer in making sure the program was successful.

“It’s a very rewarding experience to be a part of teaching children how to swim,” Pittman said.

The children in the swimming program completed months of drills and practice to earn their certificate and hopefully after they learn the basics, they’ll want to take the advanced class next summer. The lifeguards this summer have been great and are a major asset to the program.

“I would like to thank all my lifeguards for helping this summer including head lifeguard Lakethia Collins, Mortaze Rowser, Darnell Richardson, jr. lifeguards Jeffery Collier and Keith Bruno,” Basil said.

The children and adults who graduated from the 2004 summer swimming program included Snodeitra White, Porsha Thomas, Vince Mullen Jr., Rashad Lynch, Terrance Jackson, Kyle Little, Daniel Lewis, Kris Campbell, Willie Watson, Harold Scott, Dalvin Harris, Lakendrick Taylor, Chole Strickland, Roxeanna Bradley, Devorluis Brooks, Christian Adams, Breanna Jones, Tenathius Bassett, Nicholas Pierce, Telvin Collins, Jacqueline Banks, Kadejah Collins, Maria McGee, Alencia McGee, Robert Bradley, Jr., Kesean Bell, Jacelyn Thurman, Arthur Allen, Mikki Lynch, and Destinee Lynch.