Drowning consistently ranks as a leading cause of death each year for children 0-5 years of age. The SWIM101 Program addresses this alarming statistic with a water safety program for parents and caregivers of the early childhood population. SWIM101 trains parents and caregivers to effectively prevent drowning by teaching children at a very early age about water safety. CEERI is implementing this water safety program in daycare centers throughout South Florida with the use of interactive workshops, the animated character Sammy Starfish, and program materials such as a children’s BIG book, a parents’ guide, and a motivational video. The program encourages parents and caregivers to instill safe water and boating practices in children from an early age.

The mission of CEERI and the Center for Environmental Education and Research, Inc., two non-profit organizations, is to promote boating, water safety, and environmental awareness to the public through educational programming.