By Sena W. ‘27 

I still remember my first time swimming in the San Francisco Bay. The water was freezing and murky, and every nerve in my body was telling me to get out immediately. It was the fall of my sophomore year: the CCSF pool closed for renovations and the LWHS water polo teams had to practice in Aquatic Park. I haven't stopped swimming in open water since.

The experience inspired me to start the LWHS Open Water Swim Club. I co-lead it with Owen J. '28, and it exists to create a safe and welcoming way for students to try open water swimming. Although the Bay can be daunting, we want students of all experience levels to build confidence and learn skills to keep them safe in the water. Starting the club gave me a way to take something I love and make it more accessible to others.

I remember how intimidating the Bay initially felt to me. Not being able to see anything beneath me meant my mind started spiraling with the possibility of sharks and seals. Now, after spending so much time in the Bay, I've realized that there is something magical about looking over and seeing a seal twenty feet away going about its life. Open water also provides more freedom than the pool. With no lanes or walls, nothing compares to stopping in the middle of the Bay with hundreds of feet of water beneath me, Alcatraz behind me, and the San Francisco skyline ahead. Learning to stay calm and navigate an environment I once found frightening has made me much more confident in the water. I want more LWHS students to have that opportunity too.

The club has also allowed us to extend what we do beyond LWHS. On September 12, seven club members — Owen, Johnny D. '27, Temma P. '27, Archer F. '29, Ivy H. '29, Magnolia D. '29, and I — swam in Swim Across America, San Francisco. Along with swimmers from across the Bay Area, we swam 1.5 miles from Little Marina Green to Aquatic Park. Our team raised $6,000 for pediatric cancer research at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. I serve on the Junior Advisory Board (JAB) for Swim Across America San Francisco, reaching out to local swim clubs and schools to get more young people involved. Through the JAB, I helped raise an additional $10,000, contributing to the more than $485,000 raised at this year's event.

Owen finished first overall out of more than 200 swimmers, and every LWHS swimmer finished in the top 100, including three in the top 25. This year, our club hopes to host "try-it" events for beginners and open water safety briefings for students.

For me, the Open Water Swim Club reflects what public purpose can look like at LWHS: taking something you love, making it accessible, and finding ways to use it to help others.