essex commissioners honor local young people for water safety organizing and athletic achievement

(Newark, NJ) – September 8, 2023 – On Wednesday, the Essex County Board of County Commissioners honored two local teenagers for organizing water safety and swimming lessons for underprivileged children, and a local martial arts team for outstanding accomplishments in 2023.

Tyna and Tyler Davis of Bloomfield started the We Swim Academy to help address the issue of water safety. Drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death among children worldwide, and many kids from marginalized communities, especially children of color, have limited access to swimming lessons and water safety education.

L to R: Montclair YMCA Exec. Dir. of Aquatics Tammy Como, Commissioner VP Carlos Pomares, Tyler & Tyna Davis, Bloomfield Councilman Nicholas Joanow

With hard work and determination, the two teens raised over $5,500 that funded swimming lessons for twenty-two Bloomfield kids. Tyler and Tyna even got in the water themselves to help with the lessons, which were aided by the YMCA Of Montclair aquatics department, the Bloomfield Board of Education, and MLK service committee volunteers.

The Board of Commissioners also recognized the Universal Martial Arts Tournament Team, also of Bloomfield, for their recent Taekwondo victories. In 2023, the team won the New Jersey Taekwondo State Championship, the Connecticut Taekwondo State Championship, and the USA National Taekwondo Championship.

L to R: Commissioner VP Carlos Pomares, Universal Martial Arts Tournament Team members, Coach Master Damian Harley, Essex County Administrator Robert Jackson, Assistant Coach Abrielle Pinto, Commissioner Patricia Sebold, Commissioner Romaine Graham

The Essex County Board of County Commissioners congratulates Tyler and Tyna Davis for their excellent organizing and community support, as well as the Universal Martial Arts Tournament Team members with Coach Master Damian Harley and Assistant Coach Abrielle Pinto.

More pictures can be seen here.