Back in April, when our Build A Better Future Scholarship Applications were due, I was reading through submissions, finding myself very impressed with the caliber of projects that students had done. There were so many incredible projects submitted, and choosing winners was hard! A couple of projects really stuck out to me and the team, one of which was a project called “Laps for Philly”, and was spearheaded by Eva McIver-Jenkins and Ava Gonnella.
First, a little about these two brilliant minds! Ava and Eva recently graduated high school in Pennsylvania. This fall, Ava will be attending Fairfield University, where she will be rowing and studying economics. She is the oldest of three, enjoys spending time outside, learning to play the ukulele, and ice cream. Eva will be attending Brown University, where she will be studying biomedical engineering. She has been swimming competitively for 12 years, loves math, and Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream (especially after a long practice).
Ava and Eva were given the opportunity to resurrect a project that had previously attempted to raise funds for swimming lessons at a community pool. The project, called Laps for Philly, was driven by the goal to provide swimming lessons for underprivileged kids. Ava and Eva felt passionate about this project because, as swimmers themselves, they understood just how important water safety is. They both noticed racial and economic disparities in access to swimming. Ava wrote, “I’ve seen firsthand how valuable swimming is—not only for safety but also for confidence, connection, and community. That realization inspired us to launch Laps for Philly, a project rooted in both equity and empowerment.”
Eva began her swimming journey on a predominantly Black swim team. They practiced in a pool that was lacking in resources. This experience was part of the driving force behind Eva’s desire to provide accessible swimming lessons to children in similar circumstances. She said, “Laps for Philly serves young students in underserved Philadelphia communities who often lack access to affordable swim lessons, safe pool facilities, and consistent aquatic programming. These communities face systemic barriers to swimming access, including financial constraints, facility shortages, and historical underrepresentation in the sport. The project was created in direct response to this need, with the goal of providing swim education, promoting water safety, and building pathways for equitable participation in aquatics.” Ava also felt a pull to help young swimmers have the access they needed to succeed.
Once they had the idea and goal of their project worked out, they needed to figure out the logistics— funding, locations, access to materials, and so on. They began by researching and learning how other organizations had approached the issue and looked into what resources were already available for them to use. From there, they began to network with their school, community members, coaches, and families. They developed a plan to raise awareness, raise funds, and even built a youth ambassador program. They raised money through a swim-a-thon and other creative events, encouraging community members to participate or donate to the cause. They reached out to their school for help as well, and used social media to spread the word about their cause.
Eva and Ava didn’t let any roadblocks stop their dream from becoming a reality. Eva wrote, “One of our biggest challenges was finding space for our fundraisers and building partnerships with schools and pools. Coordinating with multiple organizations and aligning schedules took time and patience.” They learned to communicate, lean on each other, and to stay flexible. They also learned to adapt to needs as they changed or came up. These obstacles were learning experiences and eventually led to a stronger system and better leadership.
Even both girls will be away attending college, Laps for Philly will continue to make an impact on young swimmers. Ava said, “we’ve been intentional about creating a structure that can grow with or without us. We’ve built a team that includes younger ambassadors who will carry on the mission, and we’re working on expanding our board and community roles so leadership is sustainable.” What a brilliant idea to structure the project to be able to continue to grow for years to come!
The impact that has been seen through this project has been incredible. Ava wrote, “We also saw how the project helped people feel seen and valued, especially when they realized the work was being led by students who truly cared. This project has helped over 50 families learn to swim!” Involving the community is an excellent way to spread awareness and include all kinds of people. Eva wrote, “The community response was overwhelming in the best way. People wanted to help—through donations, volunteering, or signing their children up for swim lessons…. Laps for Philly became a movement that extended beyond our original vision.”
Not only did this project impact their community, both Eva and Ava said the personal impact was also great. They learned how to be leaders, work together, and work through challenges. They found that passion alone was not enough to sustain a project of this magnitude— they also needed community support and structure. Both girls found a sense of purpose through participation in this project, and are better people because of it.
What an incredible, powerful project! You can tell that both Eva and Ava are passionate about water safety and proper swimming technique. They want to share that knowledge and passion with others who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Their impact has been great, and will continue to be so as their organization keeps growing and changing! Good work, girls!
