Girl saved at aquatics center

A summer lifeguard was credited with saving a swim student earlier this year.

The lifeguard, Ayden Powers, was recognized by the Sweetwater County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees last week for making the save at the Green River High School Aquatics Center.

According to the Aquatics Center’s manager Mike Moody, the high school’s pools are utilized by city swim classes throughout the summer. The youngest students are taught the basics at the center’s therapy pool as the shallow depth is useful for the young students.

However, a portion of the therapy pool is deep enough to attract the braver students and cause a problem if they’re not great swimmers. Powers said he and other lifeguards at the pool would sit at a position overlooking the deeper portion of the pool knowing kids like to venture into that deeper area.

During the day of the save, Powers said the two swimming instructors were busy helping students at other portions of the therapy pool when a young girl decided to step off into the deeper area. Powers said the depth was a little too deep for the girl and she started struggling. In that moment, Powers quickly grabbed the girl and pulled her out.

“It was a split-second reaction,” he said.

Powers graduated from GRHS last spring and currently is a student at Western Wyoming Community College. Moody said Powers took the aquatic PE course for three years while at the high school. The course offers a lifeguard certification, which Moody said Powers was knowledgeable enough to teach during his senior year.

Powers said he enjoyed working at the center as a summer lifeguard, but said his studies now are more focused towards a pharmaceutical career.