What do we love more than water safety?! Well…nothing, really! Water safety has been our number #1 priority (and passion!) for the past 18 years that Goldfish Swim Schools have been teaching swim lessons. We have made waves across North America as we teach kiddos to be safer in and around the water in over 165 communities. But, we wanted to do more! We know the need for quality swim lessons isn’t limited to our own communities. It extends outside of our hometowns, and even outside of our own country! The need for water safety education and quality swim lessons is everywhere!

Alex Tyler has spent a decade building relationships and going above and beyond for the community of Gales Point, Belize.

Alex Tyler, the owner of Goldfish Swim School – St. Charles and Glen Ellyn in Illinois, knew that he, along with a few friends, was capable of making waves in a community outside of his own. He set his sights on making a difference in Belize in 2014. Alex discovered a small, remote fishing village where water is all around – Gales Point. With water easily accessible, but swim lessons not, Alex saw the need and knew he could be the one to fulfill it. For the past 10 years (yep, one whole decade!) Alex and his friends from Goldfish schools across North America have planned an annual mission trip. They ramp up their contribution each year, and this year even helped build a house! The Goldfish gang tutored elementary school kids, taught swim lessons, and built relationships that made this trip even more rewarding than the last. 

“It is easy to see the value of building a new house for a family in need, but we contributed much more than a new home. I love watching our group genuinely connect with the village and create long lasting relationships with the kids and adults of Gales Point.”

Alex Tyler
Goldfish Swim School team members never miss the opportunity to teach swim lessons and share water safety must-knows, especially with those in the remove fishing village of Gales Point.

The trip was intended to be about water safety and teaching children how to swim – but it has become so much more. It has been an opportunity for Goldfish team members to come together for a common cause, build new friendships, be reminded of what’s truly important, and spend their time giving back to families and a community that can use their help. The relationships built in this annual trip extend beyond the water they were built in, and we are so excited to see how they strengthen in the coming years! 

Their giveback goes far beyond swim lessons and fundraising - the Goldfish team goes to work building homes and other community buildings!

Of course we know our Goldfish family loves to come together to support a common cause, and when other schools, owners, and Goldfish team members heard about Alex and his friends’ efforts in Gales Point, they wanted to get involved! They’ve teamed up to sell candy grams each February to help raise money and spread the word about the trip. This year, our Goldfish family raised ​​$10,250 that will go towards tuition, school supplies, and transportation for high school students during the 2024-25 school year!

It’s truly FINspiring to see our Goldfish family come together, noticing the need and putting their efforts together to make waves in a community so far from their own. It’s all possible because we love what we do and we feel so strongly about the need for swim safety education and swim skills. When people that are passionate about a mission come together, anything is possible! 

If you’re interested in contributing to the next trip to Belize, visit your local Goldfish Swim School for more information!