Infant Swim Resource-Bartlesville

06/19/2026

💙 The Boaz Costello Memorial Swim Lesson Scholarship 💙

Last year, our community experienced an unimaginable loss with the drowning of Boaz Costello. In the midst of heartbreak, something incredible happened—people came together to sponsor ISR swim lessons for children who may not have otherwise had access to them.

Somone had already reached out to sponsor and with the blessing of Boaz's family, I am honored to establish the annual Boaz Costello Memorial Swim Lesson Scholarship.

Every dollar donated goes directly toward helping local children receive life-saving self-rescue swim lessons. For some families, finances can be the barrier that stands between a child and the skills that could save their life. Together, we can help remove that barrier.

My hope is that community members, businesses, families, and friends will consider sponsoring a child in Boaz's memory. A full sponsorship is an incredible gift, but even if you can only contribute a small amount, please know that it matters. A child's scholarship may be funded by one generous donor or by many people each giving what they can. Every dollar brings us closer to putting another child in the water and teaching skills that could save their life.

When you donate, you're not simply paying for swim lessons. You're helping create a legacy of protection, education, and hope. You're helping ensure that Boaz's story continues to make a difference in the lives of other children.

Our goal is simple: turn tragedy into prevention and honor Boaz by giving more children the opportunity to learn life-saving water safety skills.

If you would like to contribute to the Boaz Costello Memorial Swim Lesson Scholarship, please message me for donation information.

The greatest way we can honor Boaz's memory is by helping save another child. If his story inspires even one family to seek swim lessons or one donor to sponsor a child, his legacy lives on.

Because every child deserves the chance to come home safely. 💙

Please message me if you would like to sponsor!

06/16/2026

🚨 July Swim Lesson Spots Are Filling! 🚨

Summer is here, and so are the water-related risks that come with it.

Every year, I hear from parents who say, "I wish we had started sooner."

The truth is that drowning is often silent, quick, and can happen even when adults are nearby. That's why I am passionate about teaching children life-saving self-rescue skills that can make all the difference in an emergency.

ISR lessons are much more than swim lessons. Children learn how to:

✅ Roll onto their back to breathe
✅ Float independently
✅ Swim, float, and swim to safety (when developmentally appropriate)
✅ Build confidence and respect around the water

I work with children of all ages and learning stages, including children with special needs, and every lesson is individualized to meet your child's unique needs.

With 8 years of experience and approximately 500 children skilled, I have seen firsthand how these lessons can transform a child's ability and confidence in the water.

My July session is now enrolling, and spots are limited.

Don't spend another summer hoping an accident won't happen. Give your child the skills they need to help protect themselves around the water.

📩 Message me for details or visit www.isrbartlesville.com to learn more.

06/15/2026

👀 WATCH CLOSELY!👀

Over the years of teaching I have had several parents reach out to tell me their child's self rescue story...this is the first time it was CAUGHT ON CAMERA!

This is what your child should be learning in swim lessons!

This video and text were sent to me yesterday from one of my swim families (I have skilled all 3 of their children).

"It’s blurry bc it’s from the security camera, but DK self-rescued today at my mom’s pool. There is a little ledge in the water that she accidentally stepped off of into water where she couldn’t touch. You almost can’t see her because her dad was right there and snagged her, but she had already rolled to her back and found her float when he got to her. 🙌🏻"

"Thank you for being persistent with her when she went through those stubborn weeks and wouldn’t do it! We are so grateful for the skills you helped our kids all learn. ❤️"

Back story: DK started ISR at 15 months old last year and attended maintenance lessons after and then completed a refresher this year (we ended up having to go a bit longer as she was working through some regression but I always tell my swim families I am not going to "say she's done just because the alloted time has passed, I go until fully skilled no matter what it takes").

This is 100% why I do what I do.

As an instructor, moments like this are incredibly rewarding because they show exactly why we practice these skills over and over again. Children don't get to choose when an accident happens, so our goal is to make the response automatic.

Not all swim lessons are the same. Every year I meet families whose children have spent years in swim lessons but have never been taught what to do if they unexpectedly find themselves in water over their heads.

Swimming to the side, jumping in, and having fun in the water are wonderful skills. But for young children, survival skills matter too.

What should a child do if they fall into a pool fully clothed? What if there isn't a wall within reach? What if they fall into a pond, lake, or unfamiliar body of water?

These are the situations we prepare for.

I am so proud of this little girl and so thankful her family has remained committed to maintaining her skills. ❤️

Layers of protection—including active supervision, barriers, alarms, and swim lessons—are always essential. No lesson program can replace supervision, but self-rescue skills can provide an additional layer of protection when the unexpected happens.

06/13/2026

This is 100% why I do what I do.

This message is from a family who has remained consistent with both of their girls. They understand the value of these lessons and have made a commitment to maintaining their children's skills through refreshers and continued practice.

The result? Confident swimmers, beautiful floating skills, and parents who have greater peace of mind around the water.

Drowning incidents are unfortunately on the rise, and every child deserves the opportunity to learn lifesaving water survival skills.

If you've been considering lessons but haven't taken the next step yet, send me a message. I'd love to answer your questions and help you get started. 💙

06/13/2026

This is so heartbreaking! 💔

The twin 5-year-old girls were found unconscious in the pool of the home the family was renting while on a trip to Florida.

What we know: https://www.wesh.com/article/2-children-pulled-from-kissimmee-pool-hospitalized-deputies-say/71572265

06/12/2026

A common misconception about ISR is that we only teach children to float.

While floating is an essential survival skill, ISR lessons are individualized and progress based on each child's age and developmental readiness.

Many children learn much more than floating alone. Skills may include:
💦 Rolling to a float after an accidental fall
💦 Swimming to a point of safety
💦 Returning to the wall
💦 Finding and using steps
💦 Swimming-float-swimming sequences
💦 Problem-solving in the water
💦 Confidence and competence in a variety of water situations

I have the privilege of working with children of many ages, abilities, and learning styles. Every child learns differently, and ISR is designed to meet children where they are. Throughout my years of teaching, I have worked with neurotypical children, autistic children (both verbal and nonverbal), children with Down syndrome, and many others with unique developmental and physical needs. Each lesson is individualized to help every child build skills, confidence, and safety in the water.

The goal is survival first, because drowning prevention must come before recreational swimming skills. Once a child has survival skills, we continue building swimming ability and water competence.

After teaching for 8 years and working with hundreds of children, I've seen firsthand how these skills can give families peace of mind while providing children with a strong foundation for a lifetime of safe swimming.

As an ISR instructor, I don't teach children to choose between floating and swimming—I teach them when and how to use both.

06/11/2026

💦 Water Safety Wednesday 💦

Swim lessons don't just help save lives. They help shape them.💙

Most parents sign their child up for swim lessons because they want them to be safer around water.

And that's a great reason.

Research has shown that formal swim lessons are associated with an 88% reduction in drowning risk for children ages 1–4.

But the benefits don't stop there.

When young children learn to float, breathe, and move through the water, they're also practicing body awareness, problem-solving, perseverance, and emotional regulation. They learn to stay calm, work through challenges, and keep trying even when something feels difficult.

Water provides resistance that helps develop strength, coordination, and motor skills. Swim lessons also encourage children to use both sides of their body together, helping build important connections as their brains continue to grow and develop.

So while swim lessons are one important layer of protection against drowning, they also help build confidence, resilience, and life skills that extend far beyond the pool.

Every lesson is an investment in your child's safety—and their future.

06/10/2026

This is devastating and a powerful example of why we talk so much about layers of protection around water.

Supervision, barriers, alarms, and locked gates all matter—but when those layers fail, survival swim lessons can become that last line of defense.

Children can begin learning lifesaving water survival skills as early as 6 months old. No child is ever drown-proof, but equipping them with the ability to float, breathe, and self-rescue gives them a chance when every second counts.

Please keep this family in your prayers. 💙

06/08/2026

I very much appreciate families that share their experience with ISR. It is my passion so I could talk about it til I'm blue in the face but when parents share, it sure does help those on the fence decide to sign up! 🥰