Why SBHS Should Get a Pool by Vera Soukhanovskii

Why SBHS Should Get a Pool by Vera Soukhanovskii Imagine this: your alarm goes off at 4:00 in the morning. You drag yourself out of bed, pack your bag, eat breakfast, and leave the house while it is still dark outside. Then, instead of heading to a pool at your own school, you drive all the way to North Brunswick to practice before the school day even begins. As crazy as that sounds, this is the reality for South Brunswick High School swimmers. Today, I want to convince you that building a pool at South Brunswick High School would benefit not only student athletes, but the entire school and community. A pool would improve physical health, mental well-being, academic opportunities, school spirit, and even bring financial benefits to the district. First, let's start with how a pool would greatly improve students’ physical health. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise because it works nearly every muscle group in the body while putting very little stress on your joints. Unlike high-impact sports, swimming reduces the chance of injuries while still improving cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscle strength, breathing capacity, and circulation. This is especially important for people with injuries, disabilities, or reduced mobility. A pool at our school would allow more students to participate in physical activity comfortably and safely. Many students also struggle to find enjoyable ways to stay active, so a pool would provide another opportunity for exercise. Most importantly, swimming teaches water safety, a skill that can save lives. According to Russell Slatford, headmaster of Bournemouth Collegiate School, nearly 40% of children leaving primary school cannot swim. Teaching students how to swim and how to react in emergencies could help prevent drowning accidents and improve overall safety around water. A pool at SBHS would also improve students’ mental health. Between grades, sports, jobs, extracurricular activities, and preparing for the future, many students constantly feel pressure. Swimming is proven to reduce stress and anxiety because the repetitive movements and controlled breathing help relax both the body and mind. A lot of times, if I am having a long day, I find myself counting down the hours until swim practice to relax and leave my worries behind. An easier access to a pool would allow me and everyone else to enjoy the calm waters every once in a while. A pool would also create a stronger sense of community. Students could meet new people through swim teams, lessons, competitions, and events hosted at the facility. Next, a pool would create new social and academic opportunities for students. For physical education classes, swimming would add variety to the curriculum while teaching important life skills. Instead of repeating the same activities every year, students would have the opportunity to learn something useful. Because, let's be honest, does the walk-jog save anyone's life? A pool would also allow South Brunswick to expand extracurricular activities. Our school could offer swimming, diving, water polo, even synchronized swimming, and additional fitness programs for both students and other members of this community. These activities would increase involvement and school spirit. Sporting events and competitions would also bring students together and create pride within the school community. Sports participation is also linked to improved academic engagement. Students involved in athletics often develop stronger time management skills, responsibility, leadership, and motivation. Additionally, a pool could help students discover lifelong hobbies and healthier ways to spend their free time instead of staying indoors or constantly using screens. Now let's talk about some benefits for people outside of this school. A pool at SBHS could become an important resource for the entire South Brunswick community. The facility could host swim lessons for children, lifeguard certification programs, open swim hours, and water safety courses. It could also provide exercise programs like water aerobics for senior citizens or rehabilitation programs for people recovering from injuries. According to the NDPA, The National Drowning Prevention Alliance, public swimming facilities encourage healthier lifestyles and can even reduce healthcare costs by promoting regular exercise and preventing health issues. A pool would also bring people together across all age groups. While many people worry about the cost of building a pool, it could actually provide financial benefits in the long run. Swimming competitions, tournaments, and community events would attract visitors to the area and increase local spending. The facility could also generate revenue through memberships, swim lessons, renting out the pool to other schools and teams, and community programs. In addition, a pool would create job opportunities for students and residents, such as lifeguarding, swim instructors, coaches, and maintenance staff. For many teenagers, lifeguarding becomes an important first job that teaches responsibility and leadership. While I myself am not certified, almost all of my swim friends are and always praise the job and recommend it to others. A pool at SBHS could even be rented to local schools, club teams, or special programs, helping offset costs over time. Now, let's take a look at some neighboring districts and compare. Both High School North and South have pools in West Windsor Plainsboro, and along with that incredibly talented swim teams and swimmers. Their swimmers have unlocked many new opportunities, with a few of my friends getting into D3 schools, and some even getting minor scholarships for D1 teams in college. Princeton Middle School has a pool that they share with their high school, and offer swim team positions starting from 6th grade. Along with consistency, this allows kids to enjoy the benefits of the sport starting from an early age. Princeton also gets benefits from the pool by renting it out to swim teams for practices and meets, including my team, PTAC. And finally, the most obvious example, North Brunswick. They offer pool hours to both South Brunswick and East Brunswick, and their pool hosts multiple fundraiser events such as the Marisa Tufaro foundation and the Swim Across America event. For some final thoughts, building a pool may sound like just another expensive school project, but it has many benefits. As I mentioned, a pool would improve physical and mental health, create new academic and athletic opportunities, strengthen school spirit, teach lifesaving skills, support the community, and even provide financial benefits. South Brunswick High School already has talented students and a strong community. Imagine what we could accomplish if we also had additional facilities to support them and create even more opportunities to get stronger and thrive. While I will most likely graduate before this dream becomes a reality, I hope future students will one day walk into this school with excitement for their swim lessons, team try outs, or life guarding shift at our very own South Brunswick High School. So the next time someone jokes about the pool on the roof, maybe instead of laughing, we could start to seriously consider why South Brunswick High School deserves their very own pool. Works Cited Kaskaras, Nikos. “How Swimming Pools Improve Communities.” Www.nereids.com.au, www.nereids.com.au/blog/how-swimming-pools-improve-communities. “Manlius Community Pool and Aquatics | Building a Pool Can Offer a Multitude of Benefits for a Community and School District | Facebook.” Facebook.com, Facebook Groups, 2026, www.facebook.com/groups/223073100388053/posts/242166471812049/. Accessed 14 May 2026. Martinez, Michelle. “The Impact of Public Swimming Pools in Our Communities.” NDPA, 19 July 2023, ndpa.org/public-swimming-pools/. “Pools for Schools: An Ideal Educational Space - Fluidra.” Fluidra, 8 June 2022, www.fluidra.com/commercial-solutions/inspiration/blog/pools-for-schools/. Slatford, Russell . “Why a School Swimming Pool Is Worth the Money | School Procurement.” The Headteacher, www.theheadteacher.com/school-procurement/building-maintenance/why-a-school-swimming-pool-is-worth-the-money. Why Do We Build Pools? The Value of Public Swimming Facilities ©Eugeni Pons.