by Jordan Martin.

I glanced at the water, then back at the small group of parents and students staring, a huge grin across their faces.

“Are we going at the same time?” Jake said as we looked at Ian, our 11-year-old swim lesson student.

“Yes! I’ve been waiting for this,” he said as he prepared to count us down. “1. 2. 3. Go!”

Suddenly I felt the chilled sensation of the water on my face along with the unusual feeling of my clothes clinging to my body. The muffled sound of the students laughing and cheering entered my ears.

Jake and I had been working with Ian for two weeks trying to get him to dive off the starting blocks. He was able to dive perfectly off the wall, but once he stepped on the blocks, it was like he had never entered the water before. We tried everything we could to get him to do it. Finally I proposed a bet.

“If you do this dive just like you do off the wall, I will jump in the water with all of my clothes on. Shoes and all,” I said.

“Are you serious?” he acted like I just promised him a million dollars.

“Yes sir. If you can do it right now, I will jump in as soon as class is over,” I was as serious as I could be. I would do anything for him to get this. Every lesson I saw the desire on his face to finally get it right. The desire to make Jake and me proud. I knew it was our job as his teachers to find a way to make this happen.

He tried once.

“So close,” I said as I realized I might actually have to do this. “Keep your head down and lock your knees.”

Again.

“You almost got it that time. Try one more time, but then we have to stop. I have another lesson coming in.” I could see the worry on his face. He wanted to see me jump in so bad. He tried one last time and didn’t quite get it. I saw the disappointment and immediately responded as Jake walked up.

“Look, we’ll try again next week, same deal,” I said as his face became more hopeful. “This time if you can do it, Jake and I will both jump in, off the blocks fully clothed.”

The next week came. Jake started him off with the same basic routine. Kick board to the wall and back, work on breathing to the side, learn a new stroke. Then it was time for dives. Ian stepped on the block. I reminded him of the deal and without saying a word he nodded and assumed the position. Jake and I watched, hopeful and anxious as to if we were going to be getting wet soon.

“Take your mark,” I said as Ian became stiff. “Go!”

There it was. A perfect dive. Someone watching him for the first time would have thought he had been a swimmer for years. I yelled with excitement, glanced at Jake then back at Ian. This was it. The feeling I had longed for since I was in third grade. The feeling that just confirmed my decision to become one of them. I had just helped a child achieve a milestone in his life. I was never more sure of my future than in that moment. I am going to be a teacher.