New York Needs Lifeguards. Would These Teens Make the Cut?

To qualify for a job patrolling the city’s beaches and pools, candidates must swim 50 yards in 50 seconds or less. William Gillette, 16, had just swum that time at Harry S. Truman High School in the Bronx and said, “You only live once, so you might as well put your life on the line for someone, even if you don’t know them.” The city has struggled with a lifeguard shortage for the past decade.

Lines of eager candidates at high schools in the Bronx and on Staten Island braved freezing temperatures to try out for a summer job that comes with the responsibility of constant vigilance. To qualify for the $22-an-hour positions, would-be lifeguards must pass a vision exam and do the swim.

Clarwin Conquet, 16, who grew up swimming in the Dominican Republic, said lifeguard training would give him the confidence he needed to save lives. Feliza Cheung, 16, took the test at the echo-filled pool complex at Curtis High School on Staten Island and said becoming a lifeguard would allow her to stay close to the water while serving her community.

United States, New York City

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