City Council Earmarks $1.5M for Wave Makers, Funding 60,000 Free Swim Lessons for 3,000 NYC Second-Graders

The City Council announced a $1.5 million allocation in the City’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget to expand the Wave Makers program, funding 60,000 free swim lessons that will teach an additional 3,000 New York City public school second-graders to swim. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=280)

# What’s happening
– The City Council allocated $1.5 million to expand the Wave Makers program.
– The funding covers 60,000 swim lessons for 3,000 second-graders.
– The allocation is part of the City’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget.

# Why it matters
– Affected: 3,000 additional public school second-graders citywide.
– Practical effect: Each child receives a package of lessons at no cost.

# Key details
– $1.5 million allocated in the City’s FY2027 budget.
– Program name: Wave Makers.
– Total lessons funded: 60,000 lessons.
– Number of additional students served: 3,000 second-graders.
– Implied lessons per child: 20 lessons (60,000 ÷ 3,000).
– Partners mentioned: Asphalt Green, the Gray Foundation, Common Point Queens, YMCA, New Settlement, Department of Education.

The City Council announced at a July 2026 event that it has allocated $1.5 million to expand the Wave Makers program, saying the funding will provide 60,000 free swim lessons for an additional 3,000 public school second-graders. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=280)

**Wave Makers**
– Role or jurisdiction: Pilot program providing free swim instruction to second graders.
– Action taken or responsibility: Expansion funded by $1.5 million in the FY2027 City budget.
– Relevant numbers or dates: 60,000 lessons for 3,000 additional students announced July 2026. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=280)

Speaker Julie Menin and Council Member Shaker Krishnan announced the funding at a press event, and officials presented a ceremonial check to Asphalt Green as the program’s operator partner. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=4)

**Julie Menin**
– Role or jurisdiction: Speaker of the New York City Council.
– Action taken or responsibility: Announced the $1.5 million budget allocation expanding Wave Makers.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Announced expansion July 2026; cited FY2027 budget allocation. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=4)

The organizers said the Wave Makers pilot began with philanthropic backing — including an early $1 million from the Gray Foundation — and partnerships with Asphalt Green and local community providers; city funding is now being added to scale the effort. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=631)

**Asphalt Green**
– Role or jurisdiction: Nonprofit aquatics and sports organization operating swim instruction.
– Action taken or responsibility: Program operator and implementation partner for Wave Makers.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Partner since 2024 pilot; named during July 2026 announcement. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=1293)

The program’s public remarks list multiple implementing partners — Asphalt Green, the Gray Foundation, Common Point Queens, YMCA, New Settlement, Department of Education (DOE) and others — but officials did not provide a borough-by-borough, provider-level, or per-school funding or slot breakdown during the announcement. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=1127)

**Gray Foundation**
– Role or jurisdiction: Philanthropic funder.
– Action taken or responsibility: Early funder and partner for the Wave Makers pilot.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Provided initial philanthropic support referenced during the July 2026 announcement. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=1293)

The City Council and partners described program scale to date: officials said Wave Makers reached more than 6,000 second-graders across prior pilot years, and the newly announced $1.5 million will build on that reach. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=711)

The math from the figures announced is explicit: 60,000 lessons divided by 3,000 children equals 20 lessons per child. The Council framed that as the instructional package funded by this allocation. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=280)

Officials emphasized mapping pool access and using community partners and the DOE to enroll students, but they did not share a published implementation schedule or a document in the announcement that shows exactly how the $1.5 million will be distributed across boroughs, providers, or schools. Agencies and partners named at the event will likely manage operations and scheduling. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=376)

City leaders framed the expansion as part of a longer goal to offer swim instruction to all second-graders in New York City, noting prior private funding enabled the pilot and that public funding in FY2027 is intended to expand capacity. The announcement included a ceremonial funding presentation and statements from elected officials and partners at the event. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=799)

What the announcement did not include: a published, itemized allocation showing how the $1.5 million will be divided by borough, by provider, or by school. The Council’s public remarks listed partners and overall lesson and student totals but did not present a detailed spending or slot allocation chart at the press event. (Source: https://youtu.be/B4tuErX43bw&t=1127)