Atlantic City Public Schools Elementary Swim Program Earns Third Place in First Competitive Meet

The Atlantic City Public Schools Elementary Swim Program recently achieved an impressive third-place finish in its first-ever competitive swim meet, marking a significant milestone for the young athletes.

The meet, hosted at Atlantic City High School, brought together students from Absecon and Brigantine school districts. Designed to teach elementary students essential swimming skills, the program also serves as a feeder to the high school swim team — preparing the next generation of Atlantic City swimmers.

Elementary Swim Coach Kellie Hornbaker expressed pride in the team’s performance. “We’re still building the depth of the team and focusing on making swimming exciting for the kids,” Hornbaker said. “Our main goal was to ensure they understood how a swim meet works — and that they had fun doing it.”

The program operates in partnership with the Brigantine Aquatics Center (BAC), where Coach Lanise Graves worked closely with the students. Graves emphasized the transformative power of swimming, noting that many participants began the program without knowing how to swim. “To see them now, winning medals, is incredible,” she said. “We pushed them hard, and they never gave up.”

Robin Taylor, owner of Brigantine Aquatics, highlighted the broader impact of the program, noting that it helps Atlantic City students access local opportunities. Donald Harris, Director of Secondary Education, praised the initiative’s alignment with a national push to expand swim programs in urban communities. “This is about more than swimming — it’s about changing the narrative,” Harris said. “Our kids are proving that they belong in the water, too.”

‍