Apply for LA Parks & Rec 2021 Competitive Grant Programs – Los Angeles Blade

LOS ANGELES – Parents of young people ages 9-17 are invited to suggest to their kids that they sign up today for the Junior Lake Lifeguard program located at Castaic Lake Recreation Area, Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park and Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area.

Youth participants ages 9-17 can enjoy LA County freshwater lakes while training to become a junior lifeguard.

The Junior Lake Lifeguard Program is overseen by trained, certified lifeguard staff who serve as mentors and impart their experience by leading hands-on activities that introduce youth to water safety, athleticism, teamwork and a career in aquatics.

Junior Lake Lifeguards learn first aid, CPR, rescue skills with paddleboards, rescue cans and more.

Registration is open for FREE tryouts happening this weekend. Youth participants are required to try out for the program and must pass in order to register for the summer program.

After having to forgo last year’s sessions due to the pandemic, the 2021 program reopens with COVID-19 safety protocols and smaller class sizes to ensure the health and safety of staff and participants.

Avoid a long drive to the beach by signing up for this popular summer program. Junior Lake Lifeguard program provides a space for youth who live many miles from the coast to learn water safety at their nearby lake, connect with each other and have fun. Additionally, LA County lakes allow training within a calm freshwater environment without waves or strong current.

2021 Junior Lake Lifeguard Program Schedule

The 2021 Junior Lake Lifeguard program offers three 2-week sessions to accommodate Public Health protocols for smaller classes. Youth participants who pass the tryout can sign up for the morning session or afternoon session or opt for a full-day experience which includes an extra hour for lunch time. Two-week programs are offered at all three lake locations during the following weeks:

• June 21 – July 1 (Monday – Thursday)
• July 12 – July 22 (Monday – Thursday)
• July 26 – August 5 (Monday – Thursday)

Participants can choose from the following session times:

• AM session: 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ($241 per participant for two-week program)
• PM session: 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ($241 per participant for two-week program)
• Full day session: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ($482 per participant for two-week program)

For more information, please visit https://parks.lacounty.gov/juniorlifeguards.

The following safety protocols that will be implemented to meet current COVID-19 health guidelines.

• Smaller group sizes with student-to-instructor ratio of 15:1.
• Face coverings required for instructors and students at all times, except during swimming and when eating or drinking.
• Physical distance at a minimum of six feet must be maintained.
• Best practices utilized to prevent infection and promote proper hygiene.
• Daily health and temperature screenings of instructors and participants.

About LA County Parks and Recreation

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation manages 183 parks and operates a network of 70,079 acres of parkland, 475 sports amenities such as futsal, basketball, tennis, lawn bowling and multipurpose fields, 42 swimming pools, 15 wildlife sanctuaries, 10 nature centers that serve as a refuge for over 200 animals, 14 lakes – 3 of which are boating and swimming lakes, 5 equestrians centers, more than 210 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and the largest municipal golf system in the nation, consisting of 20 golf courses.

The department also maintains four botanical centers: The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, the South Coast Botanic Garden, Descanso Gardens, and Virginia Robinson Gardens.

The department also owns and operates the iconic Hollywood Bowl and John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, which are jointly managed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, providing County residents with valuable entertainment and cultural resources.