Addisyn H has been an instructor at Buckeye since January. She is a high school student at Rutherford B. Hayes High School, looking to study education in college. She is first-aid and CPR certified, ensuring a safe environment for her students. In her free time, Addisyn enjoys playing tennis and swimming. What she enjoys most about teaching at Buckeye is building relationships with the kids and watching them develop confidence and skills in the water.

Meet Ayla, an instructor at Buckeye with one and a half years of teaching experience. Ayla is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology at Ohio State University, having previously earned her Associate’s degree in Anthropology from Columbus State Community College. She is lifeguard, first-aid, and CPR certified, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for her students. Outside of teaching, she enjoys reading, watching crime shows, singing, playing video games, and spending time with her dog, Willa. An interesting fun fact about Ayla is that she served five years in the Navy and has also shown goats at the Fairfield County Fair! Her favorite part of teaching at Buckeye is working with the kids and helping them learn new skills, watching them succeed and grow both in and out of the pool.

Cate is an uplifting instructor at Buckeye with six months of teaching experience. Cate is a high school student at Rutherford B. Hayes High School, hoping to go into pediatric nursing earning her CNA. She is lifeguard, first-aid, and CPR certified, ensuring a safe environment for her students. She can speak some Spanish and understands basic conversation. In her free time, Cate enjoys babysitting, baking, working out, swimming and diving for her high school team, coaching in the summer, and volunteering to give back to her community. What she loves most about teaching at Buckeye is seeing the kids learn, grow, and have fun in the water.

Claire has been an instructor at Buckeye since July. Claire is a high school student hoping to study exercise science as she currently attends Kilbourne High School and Delaware Career Center. She is lifeguard, first-aid, and CPR certified. Outside of teaching, she enjoys swimming and hanging out with friends. Claire appreciates how attentive her students are and values the support she receives to improve her teaching skills. Her passion for helping children learn and grow makes her a wonderful addition to the Buckeye team.

Dori has been an instructor at Buckeye since April. She is a high school student, exploring future interests in marine biology, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), or music education. She is first-aid certified. Dori has a special connection with children with special needs, as her brother has autism and is non-verbal, which gives her a compassionate and understanding approach. In her free time, Dori enjoys participating in marching band, baking club, high school swim team, and symphonic concert band. She loves animals and has many pets! What she enjoys most about teaching at Buckeye is working one-on-one with students and helping them learn a lifelong skill that can build confidence and independence in the water.

James is a dedicated instructor at Buckeye with nearly two years of teaching experience. James is a student Olentangy Liberty High School, where he aspires to pursue a career in Nuclear Engineering. He is lifeguard certified. James enjoys swimming club and exploring new places with friends in his free time. What he loves most about teaching at Buckeye is the opportunity to bond with his students, helping them build confidence and skills in the water.

Jessie is an instructor at Buckeye having joined in August. Jessie is a student at Metro High School, and she loves swimming, competing on the Buckeye Swim Club's senior select team. Jessie works well with kids who have special needs or cognitive challenges and is passionate about sharing her love of swimming. She plays some piano and harp, and used to play violin and flute. In her free time, Jessie enjoys swimming—she's placed third in the state three times in various events, and has aspirations of swimming in college. What she enjoys most about teaching at Buckeye is the energy of the kids and sharing her passion for swimming.

Kailey has been an instructor at Buckeye since December 2024. Kailey is a junior at Ohio State University, studying Neuroscience with hopes of attending medical school. She is lifeguard, first-aid, and CPR certified. Kailey has extensive experience working with kids who have special needs and cognitive challenges, including non-verbal students, those with Down syndrome, and students on the spectrum. She is also learning sign language and is working toward full fluency. In her free time, Kailey loves swimming, binge-watching good shows, and doing arts and crafts. She’s been a military kid her entire life, moving nine times due to her family’s service. What she enjoys most about teaching at Buckeye is helping swimmers excel and seeing their progress, along with appreciating the uplifting and supportive atmosphere of the staff.

Kaylee is a dedicated instructor at Buckeye with experience teaching since March. Kaylee attended Heidelberg University, studying Special Education, and the University of Cincinnati for Educational Leadership. In her free time, she loves reading, watching TV, and spending quality time with her family—especially exploring parks, festivals, and farmers markets. A fun fact about Kaylee is that she traveled to Ireland earlier this year with her son, sister, and mom! What she enjoys most about teaching at Buckeye is seeing the kids' joy when they learn new skills and make progress in the water.

Logan has been an instructor at Buckeye for two years. He is currently a student at Columbus State University, studying Mechanical Engineering, and previously attended Tree of Life Christian School. He is lifeguard, first-aid, and CPR certified. In his free time, he loves swimming, playing soccer, and binge-watching shows and movies—he once watched a thousand episodes of a TV show in a month! What he enjoys most about teaching at Buckeye is the sense of community and the curriculum, and he finds fulfillment in helping kids learn and grow in the water.

Olivia is a dedicated instructor at Buckeye with one and a half years of teaching experience. Olivia is a high school student at Olentangy Liberty High School, and has an interest in forensics. She is lifeguard, first-aid, and CPR certified. Olivia has experience working with children with special needs or cognitive challenges, she is committed to providing supportive and encouraging instruction. She speaks some German, having studied it for two and a half years in high school, and has a beginner-level knowledge of ASL. In her free time, Olivia enjoys participating in color guard and hanging out with friends. What she loves most about teaching at Buckeye is working with the kids and seeing their progress and confidence grow.

Sam is a dedicated instructor at Buckeye with two years of experience teaching swim lessons. Currently a student at Olentangy High School, Sam plans to pursue a degree in Architecture. She is first-aid and CPR certified. Outside of the pool, Sam enjoys hiking, gardening, playing volleyball, and hanging out with friends. A few fun facts, Sam plays the guitar and speaks a little German. Sam finds teaching at Buckeye incredibly rewarding, especially when witnessing swimmers overcome their fears and grow both as swimmers and individuals.

Currently a high school student, Savanna is passionate about swimming and helping others develop vital water safety skills. She is first-aid certified, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for her students. Savanna started this September at Buckeye, she enjoys working with children of all ages and abilities on fostering their confidence in the water. Outside of teaching, Savanna loves swimming, drawing, and scuba diving, and she’s a certified scuba diver herself! Her favorite part of teaching at Buckeye is forming meaningful bonds with her students while helping them acquire essential skills.

Silas is a new instructor at Buckeye as he started in September. Silas is a 9th-grade student at Liberty High School, hoping to study fashion in college. Silas works well with kids who have special needs or cognitive challenges, and he enjoys the opportunity to meet and connect with the children. In his free time, he likes riding his bike! What he enjoys most about teaching at Buckeye is meeting the kids and getting to know them.

Thomas is a dedicated instructor at Buckeye with over two years of experience. Thomas attended the University of Tampa, where he studied Entrepreneurship. He is lifeguard, first-aid, and CPR certified. Thomas has a special connection with children with special needs, having a brother with Autism and volunteering with Special Olympics. Outside of the pool, Thomas enjoys watching sports, reading, exploring YouTube, and hanging out with friends. He finds teaching at Buckeye especially rewarding because he loves being around kids and helping them improve their swimming skills, watching them grow more confident in the water every day.

Veronica is an uplifting instructor at Buckeye with nearly two years of teaching experience. Veronica is home-educated with a passion for creative arts. Veronica works well with kids who have special needs or cognitive challenges and finds joy in helping them improve their skills. In her free time, she loves engaging in creative art projects like Diamond Dot, paint by numbers, and Cricut paper crafting. She also shares a special bond with animals, considering them some of her best friends. What she enjoys most about teaching at Buckeye is working with the little kids and watching them grow and improve in the water.