Diving in to make a difference
Rock Canyon High School Team Jag Attack celebrated coming in as the seventh highest fundraising team at the 2025 Swim Across America open water event.
To be of service. To help others. We often hear that call to action, but we do not always know what it looks like to get involved. It can be simple, like loaning a neighbor a hand when needed.
It can be leaning into the gifts we were given––like the ability to swim and the love for it. That is a small part of why six swimmers with the Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) swim team took a deep dive into Chatfield Reservoir on August 23.
The main reason was to raise money for pediatric kids with cancer at Children’s Hospital Colorado for the fundraising event called Swim Across America – Denver (SAA-D).
RCHS head swim coach Nicole Vanderpoel said, “It is so important for the swimmers to learn how to make a positive impact in the world and in the lives of others. Volunteering or swimming at SAA-D is so rewarding; I have literally watched these girls grow in confidence, compassion and pride in knowing they are making the world better.”
Nicole, who lives in the Whisper Canyon neighborhood, has been coaching at RCHS for 20 years, and her team has volunteered every year since 2018. Three of her swimmers who took part in the event––Zoe Solano, Lila Obrien and Peyton Wilner––also live in Castle Pines.
Nicole said it is not as easy as it looks to swim in Chatfield Reservoir. “Swimming a mile or two miles in open water is extremely challenging. The girls had to commit to training all summer in open water to take part, along with raising a minimum of $250 each.”
Lila, who is a RCHS senior, said, “It is important for me to swim for SAA-D because the money benefits the critical cancer research to help the kids at a time when research funding is more important than ever.” Forty-seven children are diagnosed with cancer every day, and one out of five will not survive their battle, according to Children’s Hospital.
Swim Across America is the official charity for swimmers with a mission to award grants to innovative cancer research, clinical trials and patient-centered programs.
If you would like to donate to the event, fundraising continues through October. For more information visit swimacrossamerica.org.
It was all smiles for Rock Canyon High School swimmer Lila Obrien and head coach Nicole Vanderpoel. Six swimmers participated in the Swim Across America event on August 23 at Chatfield Reservoir, raising money for pediatric cancer.
By Karen Leigh; photos courtesy of Nicole Vanderpoel
