The Thomas brothers, Torrence and Thurman, exuded more energy than most 7-year-olds when speaking to students in the Student Union’s Red River Room on Jan. 23.
The brothers simply couldn’t contain their excitement while describing their non-profit organization, TankProof, which teaches underprivileged kids how to swim. 
Nearly a decade ago, the brothers knew they wanted to do something to give back to the Baton Rouge community. They stumbled across some data from USA Swimming they found disturbing–70% of minority children do not know how to swim; of the average of 332 people who drown each year, one in five is a child. 
“You know the stereotypes,” Torrence said. “But when you see the stats that match that, it’s very eye-opening.” 
That’s when they decided to give back to the community by teaching underprivileged youth how to swim. Since then, Tankproof’s ranks have expanded every year, from 60 students during the first summer at Crawfish Aquatics in Baton Rouge, to nearly 600 in several locations last summer. 
Philosophy junior Savannah Weisensee volunteered with TankProof at the Jambalaya Park Pool last summer and wanted to bring the organization on campus in the form of a club. 
“At the end of the summer, [the volunteers] were all hugging,” Weisensee said. “And we were like, ‘why do we have to stop?’”
Most of the meeting attendees were University students, as well as local high school students who have previously been involved in the organization and will be part of the leadership team this upcoming summer. 
The brothers said the organization is about more than just swim lessons; it’s about getting kids in a different environment and giving them positive role models in their instructors. 
“Instructors are the backbone of this organization,” Thurman said. 
For the first time this summer, TankProof will be holding swimming lessons in Austin, Texas, the first lessons held outside of Louisiana. Weisensee also said that the club hopes to eventually hold swimming lessons at the UREC. 
“It’s been kind of slow starting, but we’re making a blueprint so the organization can match our club in other cities,” Weisensee said.  
Thurman said he wanted to start the club on a college campus because most of the kids they will be serving live around the University, but have never stepped foot on campus. 
“When you change a child’s environment, you can change the way they think,” Thurman said. “If you can change the way they think, you can change the way they act, you can change their habits. Then you can create an even more sound individual.”