Hello,

Even though I created this petition and spoke at a board meeting, I want to remind FUSD this is important to the constituents they are charged with serving.  Below is my letter sent to the FUSD board.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update. Please continue to send your letters to the FUSD board. 

My letter - 

Dear FUSD School Board Members,

I am writing to bring to your attention a pressing issue that has persisted within the Fresno High School Aquatics program for a couple of years now. Despite previous attempts (physically addressing the school board 3 months ago), the matter remains unresolved, posing significant challenges to the program and those athletes participating.

I am the mother of a Freshman at Fresno High School and I am not pleased with the way the Aquatics program is run at Fresno High School. I feel that the potential of the athletes and also my son is being hindered by the current coaching staff. They don't have the dedication it takes to improve the athletes and the program. I have seen this first hand and I am really sad that my son doesn't have the opportunity to get the best coaching there could be. In saying so I KNOW there is a better program out there that would greatly increase the amount of student athletes in the Aquatics Program at Fresno High School.

This program is Echo Aquatics and is run by Coach Jennifer Lopez. Her program was unfairly dismantled and we have been advocating for her program to return and potentially be implemented at Fresno High School. I can say that her program works. I have had two of my children coached by her. She held morning practices, there were team bonding opportunities, and fundraisers. From there the program grew substantially. My youngest son (now FHS Freshman) was able to start playing water polo at Echo Aquatics two years before he started high school. During that time we saw him grow in every regard, notably his confidence. This early start gave my son a competitive edge that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. It was amazing to see him training with kids that reflected the population of the school, a valuable life lesson. He continues to love swimming but since being in the aquatics program at Fresno High I have seen some of his excitement and confidence dwindle. Fresno High is near and dear to our hearts and my son wants to continue attending there but I have seriously looked into moving him to another district to give him a better opportunity. 

*Side note: Not only does Jennifer's aquatic program help our student athletes, it helps our community also. Her program consists of swimming lessons for young children, adult swimming, water aerobics...etc. If any of you have ever tried to look up aquatic programs in the area they don't exist without a high price. Jennifer's program was a low/no cost program for everyone. Why wouldn't we want to have something like this in our community for all to participate in?! As members of the school board, I trust in your dedication to ensuring the optimal functioning of all aspects of our educational system. I urge the school board to prioritize the resolution of these issues with utmost urgency. Our students deserve access to an aquatics program that not only promotes their physical health but also fosters a sense of belonging and achievement.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I eagerly await your response and commitment to resolving these issues in a timely manner.

Sincerely, Cresta Gardea FHS Student's Mother and Advocate for Echo Aquatics