Many teens don't know how to swim. A grassroots organization is trying to change that

In the summer, many Americans head to the pool or a beach to cool off and have fun. But many kids don’t know how to swim, especially in historically underrepresented communities. One New York City non-profit organization is working to change that, one lap at a time.

On a sunny spring day, a small group of teenagers are in the pool in the basement of a high school on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Some of them are practicing blowing bubbles under the water, while one works on relaxing enough to float on her back. Others are advanced enough to do lap races.

Their teacher is another teenager, 17-year-old Carmel Renas. As well as being a high school student herself, Renas is a teacher with the New York City-based First Strokes. Their mission is to get teens in the water safely — and to try to remove the barriers to learning. First Strokes provides aspiring swimmers with goggles, swim caps and suits — and the lessons are all free.