My husband, Tom, and I have been married for 34 years and have four children, two of whom are married, and one grandbaby.

My younger children first became ISR skilled before they could walk or talk, and as a swim parent, I was amazed by what they were able to learn at such a young age. As they grew and continued with ISR refresher lessons, I became even more convinced of the value of the program — not only because of their swimming skills, but because of their ability to independently problem-solve in the water.

The time, commitment, and even the 40+ minute drive to lessons each summer were absolutely worth it. After four summers of making that drive, I felt a strong desire to bring ISR to my own community and give more families access to this life-saving program.

Before becoming an ISR Instructor, I worked in education, teaching students from kindergarten through high school. Combining my passion for teaching children with ISR’s mission of “Not One More Child Drowns” felt like a natural fit. I applied, interviewed, and was accepted into the ISR training program in 2010.

I have now been teaching ISR over 15 years, and one of my greatest joys has been watching ISR come full circle in my own family as I continue to teach my granddaughter.

Helping children gain confidence and independence in the water continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of my work, and I still love what I do every single day.

-Araceli Merkle, Certified ISR Instructor