Students interested in becoming certified to teach swimming can sign up for the American Red Cross water safety instructor training.

This course certifies students to teach swim lessons for the American Red Cross and also to teach the community water safety course.

Health and Fitness Specialist Carole Valentine said the class costs $150.

The class is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3 and Friday, Oct. 4, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.

It will be offered again with the same hours on Thursday, Oct. 10, Friday, Oct. 11, and Saturday Oct. 12.

Valentine said there are some prerequisites for the class.

“Participants for the class must be at least 16 years old, be able to swim at a level IV and pass a swimming skills test that will take place on the first day of class,” she said.

The requirements to be able to swim at a level IV are to swim a front crawl for 25 yards, breaststroke for 15 yards, butterfly for 15 yards, back crawl for 25 yards, elementary backstroke for 15 yards, and swim on your side with a scissor kick for 15 yards.

Valentine said the swimming skills test has the same requirements with a couple added.

“The swimming skills test will consist of the same as the level IV skills but also they must be able to float on their back for one minute and also tread water for one minute as well,” she said.

Valentine said the FIT course also is included in the training.

“FIT stands for fundamentals of instructor training,” she said. “It is used to inform and educate possible instructors on the methodology of the Red Cross courses.”

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to teach the basic water safety course and how to be safe in and around the water, Valentine said.

For more information, call 405-682-7860 or visit www.occc.edu/rf/watersafety