The School of Yaya’s Fishes teaches children of all ages (even the child at heart) how to swim and furnish them with the skills, confidence, and independence needed to enjoy water activities. Yaya is the only PediaSwim certified instructor in the state of Arkansas, and we have two RNs on staff to tend to your child’s every need while they are visiting our facility.
We are located at 5047 Highway 158 in Lake City (Lunsford), Arkansas, and features a heated pool with covered awning for training in all types of weather.
Terri Mommsen (A.K.A. Yaya)
Owner of The School of Yaya’s Fishes
Founder of SAFE Swim Foundation
Registered Nurse
Terri Mommsen (A.K.A. Yaya) is the owner and founder of The School of Yaya’s Fishes!
Yaya graduated from nursing school in 2015. While she truly loved being a healer, Yaya decided she wasn’t quite a land lover after all. So, she headed back to the water! She became PediaSwim certified and opened up The School of Yaya’s Fishes, where she’s been living out her dream of teaching children to S.A.F.E. swim since 2017.
Yaya calls Lake City home with her husband, Bobby. In her free time, Yaya loves to play piano and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. She also enjoys cheering on her granddaughter, Laney Kate, at cheer competitions and teaching others around her about Jesus.
Lauren Mommsen
Swim Instructor, RN
Lauren Mommsen is the daughter of Yaya and also a S.A.F.E. Swim Trainer at The School of Yaya’s Fishes! Lauren has been assisting at Yaya’s since 2017.
Lauren majored in Biology with a Chemistry minor at ASU and graduated from the ASU Nursing Program in 2010. She went to work in travel nursing. She continues to specialize in Emergency Room/Trauma nursing locally.
When she’s not helping out in the pool, you can find Lauren studying for the MCAT, a test that is required to apply for medical school!
When she’s not in the pool or studying, Lauren enjoys being with friends and family, traveling, and snowboarding. She also loves being with her dog, Chloe; and her cats, Blue, Callie, and Tik Tok.
Amy Geswein
Office and Marketing Manager
Amy came to The School of Yaya’s Fishes in January 2022 and has loved being in the water for as long as she can remember. Some of her favorite memories include being in or around Lake Norfolk, where her family frequently visits in the summer.
Prior to joining us, Amy had worked in the broadcast industry for almost 15 years writing and editing online content, handling a variety of social media accounts, and managing viewer databases for Jonesboro Radio Group, KAIT, and THV11. In her most recent role prior to working for us, she worked as a digital marketing director and in-house graphic designer.
In her spare time, Amy loves to cook, do anything creative, spend time with friends, and hang out with her awesome daughter, Hattie, and adorable nephew, Titan.
Rachel Smith
Director of Finance
Rachel Smith, a native of Mountain Home, grew up on the water, participating in tons of activities. She recently began working for us in February 2022.
Formerly an assistant to the Mayor of Walnut Ridge, Rachel has become certified for grant writing and has won over a million dollars for the city. She also has 10 years of experience in accounting through a bookkeeping company in Pocahontas.
When not knee deep in financial records, Rachel is an avid hunter and loves to spend time with her three children – Connor, Jordan, and Hailey.
Alyssa Burks
Project Coordinator
Alyssa is happy to be serving the SAFE Swim Foundation as Project Coordinator.
After enrolling her oldest son in lessons with Yaya just under two years ago, she developed a passion for water safety and ensuring all children have equal access to high-quality lessons.
Alyssa is also a local wedding and family photographer in NEA. When she isn’t raising donations for the SAFE Swim Foundation or shooting weddings, she can be found spending time with her husband, Jared, and her two little boys, Zeke and Clayton.
