12 Days of Giveaways Header

12 Days of Giveaways – Spreading the holiday cheer!

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Get ready for a swimmingly festive holiday season as we kick off our 12 Days of Giveaways event! Starting December 12, we’re unwrapping 12 incredible prizes over 12 days, leading up to the grand finale – a FULL SAFE Swim Scholarship for one lucky family! 🎁🏊‍♂️

Here’s how to join the holiday fun:

  • 🕗 Timing: At 8 AM each day, we’ll post a new giveaway on our Facebook page!
  • ⏰ Deadline: You have until 11:59 PM the same day to enter for a chance to win!
  • 🎉 Winners: We’ll randomly select a winner and announce them the following morning.

Remember, the ONLY account that will contact you if you win is this one: @yayasfishes. Keep an eye on your messages!

Spread the joy by tagging your friends in this post and turning on your notifications, so you never miss a giveaway. 🎅 If you’re new here, hit that follow button – we’re about to make a splash this holiday! 🌈✨

Let’s kick off the festivities on Dec. 12 and share the Christmas spirit together! 🎄🎁

—OFFICIAL RULES—

The entry period for 12 Days of Giveaways contest runs from Tuesday, December 12 at 8 a.m. until Saturday, December 23, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.

To enter, parents and legal guardians will comment on daily Facebook posts from The School of Yaya’s Fishes Facebook page.

Registrants may enter to win once per day, per family.

Contest winners will be drawn after 8 a.m. on the day after each post. The winners will be announced and contacted by a Facebook private message before the close of business that day. Upon contact, a representative of The School of Yaya’s Fishes will work with the winning guardian to arrange a time to pick up each prize.

The prizes are as follows:
  1. BRIGHTSwim Swimsuit of your choosing, value varies depending on selected garment.
  2. 3 pack of Finding Dory Diving Toys, valued at $16 based on retail cost.
  3. Free Photo Package, valued at $99 based on cost of package.
  4. 6 pack of Paw Patrol Diving Toys, valued at $17 based on retail cost.
  5. FREE SAFE Swim 2 Day, valued at $25 based on cost of lessons.
  6. 3 pack of Little Mermaid Diving Toys, valued at $12 based on retail cost.
  7. Official Rash Guard, value varies depending on selected garment.
  8. $20 discount on lessons, valued at $20 based on amount of certificate.
  9. 3 pack of Frozen 2 Dive Toys, valued at $12 based on retail cost.
  10. One FREE week of SAFE Swim 1, valued at $115 based on cost of lessons.
  11. Half-off SAFE Swim 1 Lessons, approximated value at $230 based on cost of lessons.
  12. FULL SAFE Swim 1 Scholarship, approximated value at $460 based on cost of lessons.

For SAFE Swim 1, Survival Swim Training sessions are every day Monday through Friday in 10-to-15-minute sessions for the length of the student’s training. While the average length of training is four weeks, this timeline may vary, based on each student’s rate of improvement and task comprehension.

The winners of the 12 Days of Giveaways will be selected at random from the pool of registrations.

Ultimately, the winning scholarship recipient must be below the age of 18 and able to crawl to qualify.

Only one winner is permitted per household within 60 days of after a household has a winner.

Who can win:

The School of Yaya’s Fishes and SAFE Swim Foundation restricts winners to the immediately serviceable area – within the Arkansas counties of Clay, Randolph, Lawerence, Greene, Craighead, Mississippi, Jackson, Poinsett, Cross, and Crittenden; and the Missouri counties of Dunklin, Pemiscot, and New Madrid.  Any means of transportation to redeem the scholarship will not be provided. The responsibility of cost to travel rests solely with the scholarship winner. Neither Terri (Yaya) Mommsen, nor a member of her Staff, will travel to provide lessons to a winning family. Survival Swim Training sessions must be performed at The School of Yaya’s Fishes facility.

No purchase is necessary. Prizes are not redeemable or transferable for cash. Scholarships and paid lessons are not retroactive and cannot cover the already-paid tuition of a student who has previously been through the program. The School of Yaya’s Fishes and SAFE Swim Foundation shall have no further responsibility in connection with the scholarship if the scholarship winner, for any reason, cannot or decides not to use any of the survival swim lessons provided.

Giving Tuesday: Support Water Safety Education

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Hey friends and community supporters! This Giving Tuesday, let’s come together to make a splash for a great cause – the SAFE Swim Foundation!

We’re on a mission to provide life-saving swim lessons to children facing financial barriers in Northeast Arkansas. Every child deserves the chance to learn vital water safety skills, and your donation can make a HUGE difference!

  • **How Can You Help?**

    Donate today to our scholarship fund and help us reach our goal! Your contribution will directly fund the teaching of our survival swim curriculum, ensuring that no child is left behind when it comes to water safety.
  • **Why SAFE Swim Foundation?**

    We believe in preventing water-related accidents by empowering children with the skills they need to stay safe in and around water. With your support, we can make a lasting impact on our community and create a safer future for our kids!
  • **Give the Gift of Water Safety!**

    Click the link below to donate and be a part of something truly special. Together, we can create a ripple effect of change!
  • **Spread the Word!**

    Share this post and let your friends and family know about our mission. Together, we can make waves of positive change and make NEA a SAFE Swim Zone!

Thank you for your generosity and commitment to water safety education! Let’s make this Giving Tuesday one to remember!

Sincerely,

Yaya

Yaya's Bait Shop Boutique now open for business

Yaya’s Bait Shop Boutique now open!

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We’re so happy to introduce Yaya’s Bait Shop Boutique!! 🐠💦

We have shirts, hats, gift certificates, swimwear, and more for every age of fish in our Fishy Family. You can easily get to the boutique at YayasFishes.com (click in “store” in the menu) or on our app.

Here’s how to get to the app:

All purchases made at Yaya’s Bait Shop Boutique go toward improving our facility and providing your children with the best care possible while they’re visiting!

I want to give a big THANK YOU to everyone for supporting our school throughout the years. I can’t wait to see what else is coming up ahead.

Ready… Go!

SAFE Swim training memory book inside

SAFE Swim Training photo books

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Hello, my fishy family! When signing your little one up for SAFE Swim Training at The School of Yaya’s Fishes this season, don’t forget to request a personal copy of our memory book.

We will print your child’s name on the front of the book. Each page features images of your little fish during their time here in addition to motivational quotes, and a list of our sponsors. Books will print once our students have graduated our program.

Don’t forget that sign-ups are now in full swing for the training season. Here’s how to register:

SAFE Swim 1 (Beginner Training): Call or text us at (870) 206-0069 to start the registration process.

SAFE Swim 2 (Maintenance Training): Sign up for classes using our new app or through our parent portal! (If you have any issues contact us) Here’s how to get it:

With the new app, you can download, register, and see what is coming up! You can also send the app to others who may be interested in the SAFE Swim Survival program. To get started, go to My Account and then to “First time student registration”.

Classes begin on March 2. We take on new little fishies from the time they can crawl up, so there’s room for everyone to learn!

Yaya

2022 swim training

2022 swim training season is ofishally open!!

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ATTENTION ALL SHARKS AND MER-PEOPLE!! The School of Yaya’s Fishes is now ofishally accepting registrations for the 2022 swim training season!!

SAFE Swim 1 (Beginner Training): Call us at (870) 206-0069 to start the registration process.

SAFE Swim 2 (Maintenance Training): Sign up for classes using our new app or through our parent portal! Here’s how to get it:

With the new app, you can download, register, and see what is coming up! You can also send the app to others to who may be interested in the SAFE Swim Survival program. To get started, go to My Account and then to “First time student registration”.

Classes begin on March 2. We take on new little fishies from the time they can crawl up, so there’s room for everyone to learn!

If you’re not familiar with us, Yaya is the only person certified in the state of Arkansas to teach survival swim classes. And, to alleviate any concerns for your little, we have three RNs on staff to protect, train, and give quality attention to your child. For more information about us, visit yayasfishes.com.

Here’s to a great 2022 swim training season!! Stay tuna-d! We have more exciting things coming for The School of Yaya’s Fishes, and we’ll be sharing updates on everything right here at yayasfishes.com and on our Facebook and Instagram pages!

–Yaya

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Vote: Best Swim Instruction Program in Northeast Arkansas

Vote: Best Swim Instruction Program

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Hello, my fishie family!! We need your help! We would love to have your vote for Best Swim Instruction Program for Kids in the NEA Kids’ Directory Best Choice Awards!

Here are the rules:

Voting ends at 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 13, 2022. Must complete at least 50 percent of ballot (at least 29 categories). Only one ballot per person. Multiple ballots submitted by a single person will be disqualified.

Winners will be announced in the March 2021 issue of NEA Kids’ Directory.

How to vote:

You can cast your vote for us on the official form: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSfz…/viewform…

Again, we would absolutely love it if everyone could help us earn the title of Best Swim Instruction Program in Northeast Arkansas! We have been working so hard to provide your littles with the best care possible while they are here, and this would just be the icing on the cake for us!

Thank you so much.

–Yaya

P. S. Don’t forget to get in touch with us and sign your kiddos up for the 2022 training season!

Yaya talks to one of her fishes on the steps her swim school's pool

Our swim school breaks water on KAIT!

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Oohhhh!!! We are so excited here at The School of Yaya’s Fishes! Our swim school was featured on KAIT last night.

KAIT Reporter Griffin DeMarrais came out to interview Yaya and swim instructor Madline Chamber, and got a first-hand look at the important work we do at our school. 

See the full report here: The School of Yaya’s Fishes saving a life one stroke at a time

We have so many fun things coming up soon, and we miss our little fishies!

While we aren’t currently in the pool, we are scheduling students. We still have some construction left to do on the new enclosure around our swim area before we can begin classes for the year.

The new enclosure will give us so much more time to work with our littles by giving us shelter from wind and rain. It also retracts backward, so we can still enjoy the beautiful days brought to us in the summer!

Reach out to our swim school to get information on pricing and schedules for 2022. And, don’t forget to remind your friends to sign up, too. We want to train and equip as many infants, toddlers, and children as possible with these critical survival skills, making NEA a SAFE Swim Zone.

Love you all!

Yaya

Swim classes will continue into Fall!

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School has already started for most of the children around here. Our youngest started pre-k this year. Where does time go? Speaking of school…The School of Yaya’s Fishes swim classes will continue into Fall. Even though our schedules have changed, the weather continues to be warm enough for outside activities. Pools are still open and trips to the lake still planned.

 Little ones are curious and carefree making the threat of water accidents still possible. So, as you are thinking about preparing your children with life skills they need for their future, remember the importance of enrolling your children into our S.A.F.E Swim training that equips them with the survival skills crucial to being in and around water.

Again, swim classes will continue into Fall, and as your family begins this new school year keep in mind…The School of Yaya’s Fishes is still taking new students, starting at 6 months.

We will continue our endeavor to train and equip as many infants, toddlers, and children as possible, making this a safer Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas.

Remember…drowning is silent…if they are screaming they are breathing.

Here’s to your lil one earning their fins!

Yaya

 Swimming Lessons for Infants and Toddlers

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I’ve heard it called everything from essential life saving skills to the torture of water boarding. To on lookers, sometimes strangers and sometimes family, infant swimming lessons appear cruel and uncalled for. The new student is “taken” from the parent, many times kicking and screaming, and introduced to the pool. This is just the first in many scary events over the next few weeks. Next, the precious little one hears the call to action, “Ready…Go” and suddenly these little ones grow eight arms and ten legs, trying to cling to anything they can latch on, to no avail. The instructor hears them take a quick breath to scream and that’s the cue…into the water, face first they go. Only to be lifted out of the water by another strange person who repeats the process. Then, on to the back…. The screams that were stifled by the water at first are at full tilt now. What child likes to be “put” on their back…in water? Really? And just to be brought back the next day for more. To me this doesn’t sound like much fun or even  necessary. Until, one day I heard a mama tell the story of the day she was working around their pool, when she looked up to see that her 3 year old had stepped off into water over her head. The mama stood amazed as she watched her precious little one put her newly learned life saving skills into action and reached safety.

Convinced???

Ok, let me ask you a question. Have you ever heard a child drown? Nope? And you probably won’t. Witnesses of children falling into a pool have said that  all they heard was a soft “plunk” and then nothing….No sound!!!! Drowning is silent. Don’t have a pool? It could happen in a bath tub.

So, next time you are deciding whether or not infant/toddler swimming lessons are worth it, remember this:  If they are screaming they are breathing.

Here’s to your little one earning their fins!

Yaya