World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
NSW school captain raises $13,500 for swimming lessons
Eleven-year-old Archie Patten campaigned to become school captain at St Joseph’s Primary School in Maclean, NSW, promising swimming lessons for every student.
After winning the vote, he raised $13,500 through a Colour Run, covering lessons with professional instructors for the school’s students through 2028.
The effort comes as at least 48 per cent of Australian primary school leavers are expected to fall short of national swimming benchmarks, according to Royal Lifesaving Australia.
The organisation’s chief executive says some children cannot swim or float well enough to save themselves, while lessons and equipment can be costly.
Now finishing year 6, Archie is urging other young leaders to improve access to water safety education in their own communities through Archie’s Ripple Effect.
He has also started a new fundraiser, Archie’s Ripple Raffle, with donated prizes from across NSW.
Eleven-year-old Archie Patten raised $13,500 to fund swimming lessons for every student at St Joseph’s Primary School in Maclean, NSW.
The money will cover lessons into 2028 and pay for professional swim teachers and smaller classes.
Patten campaigned for school captain on a promise to make swimming lessons accessible to all students.
Now finishing Year 6, he is urging other young leaders to improve access to swimming and water safety education in their communities.
- Who
- Archie Patten, an 11-year-old school captain at St Joseph’s Primary School.
- What
- He raised $13,500 to fund swimming lessons for every student at his school.
- When
- He raised the funds after winning the school captain vote; the lessons are funded into 2028.
- Where
- St Joseph’s Primary School in Maclean, in NSW’s Northern Rivers.
- Why
- He wanted to remove cost as a barrier to swimming lessons and help students gain vital water safety skills.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Archie promised to raise funds for professional swimming lessons for every student at his school.
He won the school captain vote.
Patten raised $13,500, funding swimming lessons at the school into 2028.
Patten is challenging other young leaders to improve swimming and water safety education in their communities.
- Fundraising total
- $13,500
- School
- St Joseph’s Primary School, Maclean
- Funding period
- Into 2028
- Fundraising event
- Colour Run
- Age
- 11 years old
What people are saying
Given our country is ‘girt by sea’, it is pretty important that all us kids know how to swim
Archie’s sending a signal to all of us that we’ve got to do much more to protect not only school swimming and water safety programs, but swimming skills more generally
Nowadays parents have to pay, and there is a big gap. I go to swimming carnivals up here, and there are a lot of seven-year-olds sitting on the sides who can’t swim