The nation’s top water safety and training organizations are joining forces to present The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ (WLSL) Tuesday, June 14, 2011 to build awareness about the vital importance of teaching children to swim to help prevent drowning. On June 14 water parks, pools and other aquatic facilities around the globe will host local WLSL lessons simultaneously at 11 a.m. in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record.

The City of Lakeland’s Aquatics staff will assist in the world record attempt during a swim lesson at Simpson Pool located at 1725 Martin Luther King Ave.

Swimming is a life-saving skill for children and a vital tool to prevent drowning, the second leading cause of unintended injury-related death for children ages 1-14. Research shows if a child doesn’t learn to swim by the third grade, they likely never will. The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ was created to serve as a platform to help local community aquatic facilities and different national, regional and state wide water safety and drowning prevention organizations work together to tell this important story on a local and national level.

Individuals interested in participating in the lesson have until June 13 to register by contacting Aquatics at (863) 834-3157. For more information on The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson or to find out how to get involved, please contact David Woodard at (863) 834-3157.

A local organization that facilitates intercultural experiences for Spanish students is seeking host families for students who will be in Polk County from July 2 through July 27, 2011. The students are aged 13 to 19. Housing for two adult chaperons is also being sought.

According to Teresa Martinez, President of the Institute of Spanish Communications, Inc., the host families will be asked to provide room and board for the visitors for the duration of their stay, as well as transportation to and from Polk State College’s Winter Haven campus four days a week. The students, participants in the Padre Manyanet Language Program, will be engaged in English language training and exposed to a range of cross-cultural experiences throughout central Florida.

“Over the years,” said Martinez, “We have found that the host family adds a great deal of value to the young visitors’ experience — but also that the family is enriched by the experience as well. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring a bit of Europe to your home, without even having to get a passport!”

Polk County families interested in learning more about the experience should contact the Institute of Spanish Communications, Inc. at (863) 646-5141 or by e-mail: spancom1@aol.com.

Inquiries should be made no later than May 31, 2011.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree designed to prepare graduates for managerial roles in business and not-for-profit organizations

To help prospective students learn more about its MBA programs, the University of South Florida Polytechnic will offer the following free MBA information sessions:

May 11

Noon and 5 PM

USFP Blue Sky West

116 S. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland

May 12

Noon and 5 PM

USF Polytechnic

3433 Winter Lake Rd, Lakeland

May 17

6 PM

USF Polytechnic

3433 Winter Lake Rd, Lakeland

May 25

6 PM

USF Polytechnic

3433 Winter Lake Rd, Lakeland

USFP’s “flex MBA” program features flexible part-time and full-time formats, convenient evening/weekend schedules, accommodations for extensive and limited work experiences, an individualized professional development plan with access to internships, professional mentors, and executive learning opportunities. It is the only local program holding the most prestigious accreditation through AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

For more information call (863) 667.7058, email info@poly.usf.edu or visit http://poly.usf.edu/mba/