Gilman Student Dives into Making a Difference for Kids in Baltimore
Ashton Christo '26 stands with students from Bridges during the water safety program in the summer of 2024.
When Ashton Christo ’26 trained to become a lifeguard in 2023, he was surprised to learn about the startling statistics related to drowning deaths in the United States. As he worked that summer lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons to children at a neighborhood pool, he decided he wanted to do something about it.
First, he reached out to Bill Ramos, Ph.D., an associate professor at Indiana University and a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. He had come across Ramos’s work in the area of water safety and thought he would be a great resource. “I have a passion for anything young people want to get started and be involved in,” Ramos is quoted as saying in a November 2024 article on IU’s website about his experience mentoring the Gilman student.
Next, Christo approached Upper School Learning Specialists Alicia Brady and Jenny Thackston, who serve as the faculty advisors for several service-oriented clubs related to athletics. They connected him with Ghani Raines, Director of Bridges at Gilman, which is an academic and social enrichment program that serves Baltimore City Public School students beginning in fourth grade through their early careers; Gilman hosts students in grades 4–9 on campus each summer. Typically, the five-week Bridges summer program includes classes and activities in math, reading, writing, and art. But in 2024, twice-weekly water safety lessons — developed by Christo with guidance from Ramos — were added to the mix.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Christo and Raines, Abby Bouyea, a rising senior in Bryn Mawr’s class of 2025, was in the midst of planning her own swim instruction program for Bridges at Bryn Mawr, where she was a volunteer. Once the summer got started, Christo and Bouyea discovered each other’s parallel endeavors and decided to combine efforts and resources, broadening and improving the program for both groups. Working together at the Gilman pool, they managed their teams, organized lessons, tested skills, and awarded student achievements. “Abby contributed greatly to the success of the swim program,” said Christo.
“I thought it was a terrific idea that proved far more impactful than I dared hope,” said Raines. “Because sometimes high schoolers have more ambition than thoughtfulness, I was initially cautious and set low expectations. But Ashton was confident in his vision and thorough in his planning, so the program was able to include a large number of students.”
Brady, who coaches water polo at Gilman, said that Christo is “a natural in the water” and that she appreciates his “dedication to sharing his respect for the water with others to ensure their safety, particularly our youth. If Ashton’s work will save even one life, he should be extremely proud.”
In total, more than 150 boys and girls engaged in lessons, learning how to float independently on their backs and kick using a kickboard. Those who were more advanced moved on to jumping into the pool from the side and floating on their bellies while keeping their heads above water. All of the instructors — some high school students from Christo’s swim team at North Baltimore Aquatic Club (NBAC) and other students from Bryn Mawr brought in by Bouyea — volunteered their time.
“At the beginning, a lot of the kids were fearful to even get in the water,” Christo said. “As we kept working with them, they became open to it.” He pointed out that many kids in Baltimore City don’t have access to swimming facilities let alone lessons.
The experience helped Christo build leadership skills and form and strengthen friendships. “It opened my eyes to the world outside of Gilman and the struggles that people from Baltimore are going through.” He plans to repeat the water safety curriculum in June/July 2025 with Bouyea, and is working through details of expanding it to Bridges at McDonogh.
“It is no exaggeration to say that swimming has been one of Bridges students’ greatest joys,” said Raines. “Several students cited passing the deep-end test as a highlight of their summers.”
