Baldwin teen turns family tragedy into swim scholarships for local kids

Reached out to the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation with an idea

What started as one Baldwin High School junior’s desire to help others is giving two local children the chance to learn a skill that could one day save their lives.

For Jace Owens, the mission is deeply personal.

After learning that several members of his family drowned years ago because they never learned how to swim, Owens decided to do something to help ensure other children have access to swim lessons.

The Baldwin High School student, who is working as a Town of Hempstead lifeguard this summer, took his first swim lesson at age 8. He said he didn’t want other families to experience the kind of loss his own family endured.

As part of his initiative, Owens reached out to the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation with an idea.

He wasn’t expecting the response he received.

“When I called over to the Foundation to see if they could help, they showed a surprising amount of support for my idea,” Owens said. “I was so happy. No one has ever showed support like that.”

The Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation was established in 1990 after Stew and Kim Leonard lost their 21-month-old son, Stew Leonard III, in a drowning accident.

Since then, the foundation has helped expand access to swim lessons while educating families about water safety.

The partnership is providing two Baldwin elementary school students with scholarships for swim lessons this summer.

“This is about having a big heart and wanting to help the community like Jace does,” Stew Leonard Jr. said. “He’s not profiting by promoting swimming. It’s just really a nice thing that he does.”

Owens was recognized Wednesday morning at Veterans Memorial Park Pool in Baldwin by the Leonard family and Town of Hempstead officials. The ceremony honored Owens’ commitment to promoting water safety in the community.

The recognition comes during the deadliest month, July, for accidental drownings.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second-leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 14.

Jace Owens (center) was recognized Wednesday morning at Veterans Memorial Park Pool in Baldwin by the Leonard family and Town of Hempstead officials. (Credit: GLI/Andrew Rappaport)