2008 Woodie Awards
Being a lifeguard is no day at the beach.
Joshua Mayes
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: Life
- Page 1 of 1
Sitting poolside in Reed Gym, getting splashed by powerful backstrokes is lifeguard Jenny Torgerson a sophomore majoring in business.
Unlike other work study jobs on campus, Torgerson can't use her job as a place to finish homework. If she did, people might drown. Having been a lifeguard in her hometown of Salmon, Torgerson brings a lot of experience and training to her work study job.
"I like to help people out. I used to work with little kids in Salmon at the city pool. There I did swimming lessons and was manager of the pool and staff." She also taught water aerobics with a bunch of elderly women that she "got a kick out of."
Torgerson averages around fifteen hours a week. As an employee of Reed Gymnasium, she is responsible for other jobs in the gym. "I also work as a desk attendant and do laundry." She is certified in rescue CPR, in the use of oxygen, the use of defibrillators, and the use of a backboard for spinal injuries. Fortunately for Torgerson she has never had to use any of these rescue techniques while at ISU.
"I'm very calm under stressful situations." A trait she has developed through dealing with some very stressful events in her personal life.
The lifeguard certifications used to take place every three years but now it is required every year. Alongside rescue certifications, she is required to swim three hundred meters without stopping. "Last year it was five hundred meters, which is pretty far. That is one trip around the track and then another straightaway."
With strong swimming abilities being crucial in her job she admits, "I was a horrible swimmer until I became a lifeguard. During the five hundred meters since you can't stop you have to become a good swimmer."
Different from other work study jobs, being a lifeguard requires the maintaining of peak physical fitness levels and continuous rescue training. To keep up with physical fitness Torgerson participates in intramural softball and soccer.
As a great way of staying in shape Torgerson says "We encourage students to come swim. I see more faculty members than students swimming. It's free and there are several hours during the day that the free swim is open."
Torgerson would like to see Reed Gym expanded. "We need new facilities. The weight room needs to be somewhere else because it gets too hot in the summertime and it isn't big enough. They don't have enough room to bring in new equipment."
Even though she feels the gym needs to be bigger she was attracted to ISU because of its smaller size.
"I love being able to walk down the sidewalk and know half the people, and having classes with the same people is really nice."
Unlike other work study jobs on campus, Torgerson can't use her job as a place to finish homework. If she did, people might drown. Having been a lifeguard in her hometown of Salmon, Torgerson brings a lot of experience and training to her work study job.
"I like to help people out. I used to work with little kids in Salmon at the city pool. There I did swimming lessons and was manager of the pool and staff." She also taught water aerobics with a bunch of elderly women that she "got a kick out of."
Torgerson averages around fifteen hours a week. As an employee of Reed Gymnasium, she is responsible for other jobs in the gym. "I also work as a desk attendant and do laundry." She is certified in rescue CPR, in the use of oxygen, the use of defibrillators, and the use of a backboard for spinal injuries. Fortunately for Torgerson she has never had to use any of these rescue techniques while at ISU.
"I'm very calm under stressful situations." A trait she has developed through dealing with some very stressful events in her personal life.
The lifeguard certifications used to take place every three years but now it is required every year. Alongside rescue certifications, she is required to swim three hundred meters without stopping. "Last year it was five hundred meters, which is pretty far. That is one trip around the track and then another straightaway."
With strong swimming abilities being crucial in her job she admits, "I was a horrible swimmer until I became a lifeguard. During the five hundred meters since you can't stop you have to become a good swimmer."
Different from other work study jobs, being a lifeguard requires the maintaining of peak physical fitness levels and continuous rescue training. To keep up with physical fitness Torgerson participates in intramural softball and soccer.
As a great way of staying in shape Torgerson says "We encourage students to come swim. I see more faculty members than students swimming. It's free and there are several hours during the day that the free swim is open."
Torgerson would like to see Reed Gym expanded. "We need new facilities. The weight room needs to be somewhere else because it gets too hot in the summertime and it isn't big enough. They don't have enough room to bring in new equipment."
Even though she feels the gym needs to be bigger she was attracted to ISU because of its smaller size.
"I love being able to walk down the sidewalk and know half the people, and having classes with the same people is really nice."
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