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Welcome to Makin Waves with Jes!

I have been helping children & adults overcome their fears & learn how to swim for 25+ years!

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3rd from the right, third row up from the bottom

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Free Style in Newfound Lake, NH

My philosophy & About Me

Having hands-on experience with children of all ages over the years has given me an intuitive understanding of how to approach each student’s unique needs. I begin every lesson with a brief introduction to my rules (see below), an overview of what we’ll be learning, and—most importantly—why it matters. I incorporate elements of breathwork, humming, and yoga, seamlessly weaving them into our sessions. As a yoga teacher with a Master’s in Education, I naturally began integrating these practices, recognizing how essential a calm mind is when learning to swim.

I structure my lessons in distinct parts, always making space for play—often without students even realizing they’re practicing key skills. Research consistently highlights the power of play in learning. Scientists have discovered that it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain—unless it’s done through play, in which case it takes only 10 to 20 repetitions. (Dr. Karyn Purvis) This means that play isn’t just fun; it’s a critical driver of development, helping children build problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and emotional regulation skills.

About me: I grew up in Lancaster County, PA, and started swimming at age three. By six, I was on the swim team, and at 14, I began teaching lessons . My summers at Woodridge Swim Club left an indelible mark on my adventurous, water-loving spirit and where I met my life long best friends.

I went to college at Villanova University, studying Political & Environmental Science and Philosophy, while continuing to teach swim lessons as a side job. After college, I worked at the EPA in Document Management before moving to Colorado in 2013 to pursue my Master’s in Education. In 2018, my mom founded ThePureBag, where I led marketing, www.thepurebag.com

In 2020, I moved to Bozeman, MT, mid-pandemic and immediately fell in love with the wide-open spaces, fresh mountain air, and strong sense of community. People here are genuinely happy, and it shows. But in 2023, I felt restless—it was time to explore more of the world. I transitioned into live music videography, blending my passion for storytelling, music, and creative expression.

By September of 2023, I fully embraced a nomadic lifestyle, traveling the world while working as a live music videographer. Despite my travels, I return to Bozeman twice a year to teach swim lessons.

When I am not teaching or filming a concert, I am traveling. I have so far visited 27 countries. My latest trip was 60+ days in Asia where I was able to volunteer with rescued elephants in Thailand. I also visited Turtle and Cat rescues in Indonesia.

Other things I love: travel, skiing, tennis, mountain biking, hiking, surfing, interior design, dancing, plant based and GF eating, stand-up comedy, nutrition, thrifting, yoga and, of course, dreaming about my next travel destination, and swimming!

Poochie

Aka Boopy Floopy. Boopers. Boop. Boopie. Poosh. He’s 77% Persian and I adopted him at age 12. He’s now 18 years old and my favorite thing in the world! He loves napping in the sun, by the fire, pawing for treats, eye contact, pets and purring like a helicopter!
Rest in Power my little Fluff Ball 5/10/22

Experience

I began my career of swim instruction in 1997 at the age of 14. Since then I have been teaching swim lessons to both children and adults of all ages, how to feel safe and confident in the water.

I received my Masters of Education in 20013 from the University of Denver, furthering my understanding of childhood development. Along with teaching thousands of lessons, I have created a sound structure that nurtures learning through calm and intelligent pacing.

Listen to my feature on this podcast: https://thekelsgroup.com/podcast-and-blog/

CPR, First Aid, AED & Lifeguard Certified

Insured
I have likely reached 1,000+ lessons

Help with overcoming Near Drowning Experiences
Adept at teaching those with Disabilities: Cerebral Palsy, ADHD, Speech Delay, Anxiety, Autism
Swim Team Prep
Ages 1 - 75
Fearful Adults

Rules to Swim By

Try Your Best
Blow Bubbles & Breathe
Stay Calm

Frequently Asked Questions

According to Harvard Medical School, “Children don’t really have the cognitive skills to learn to swim until they are around 4 years old. They need to be able to listen, follow directions, and retain what they’ve learned, and that’s usually around 4 years old, with some kids being ready a little earlier.” That being said, Harvard also points out that children as young as one year old can benefit from infant swim lessons to teach them essential safety basics and confidence. Most of my students are between the ages of 3-4 with some starting early as 26 months. I like to start around 2, if they are showing interest. My hesitation is when they go under, I want them to blow bubbles vs. swallow water.
Children learn best when they are happy, curious, engaged, and feel safe. My classes are designed to welcome and value all learners, while encouraging them to try their best. Learning happens through trial and error. I’d describe myself as an empath and Intuitive and since I am able to sense the needs of others, I tailor classes to each student. I meet you where you are at! With a background in Education, Yoga, & Reiki, I also incorporate watsu, qi gong and yoga into class. I create a custom approach to bring about emotional wellness through physical empowerment, and vice versa. I work to gain trust by building confidence through emotional connection and positive reinforcement. My methods are creative and intelligent. Nothing is forced, learning is progressive, and fun is always included!
We spend the first half of the lesson reviewing important safety information (why are you in lessons?), rules (see Rules to Swim By) and goals!
Goggles, towel, positive attitude!
Clear goggles are great for indoor!
They are 30 minutes in length, but I offer 15, 45 and one hour lessons too. It depends on your child - most children fall in the 30 minute range however there are those who max out at 15 minutes, and those who start to feel comfortable and brave at the 30 minute mark, so an hour is most beneficial.
I teach in town at an indoor heated hotel pool. I am available for privates a pool of your choice too!
Yes you may! if you have 2 kids for instance, you can work with one while the other is in a lesson.
If your child is very shy or hesitate, sometimes being in the water for the first few lessons can be helpful.
$50 for 30 minutes
A 50% deposit is due based on the number of classes you take to reserve your spot. The balanceays due by the end of the first lesson.
As the owner of a small business, I appreciate your cooperation! I accept cash, check, Venmo @jes-gildea, Paypal, Zelle.
The # of lessons depends largely on your child’s desire to swim, effort, and current ability. I recommend 1-5x per week depending on how fast you want them to learn! Breaks can be hugely beneficial too.

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Testimonials

As a direct result of Jessica's instruction, both of our children ages 3 and 7, have gone from being timid and nervous in the water to confident and skilled swimmers. After only two lessons they have increased their abilities and absolutely loved their time with Jessica. She made the lessons fun and was able to get the kids to engage in a way that was entirely different from any of the other swim instructors we have worked with in the past. We look forward to more lessons from Jessica. -Jacque

Jessica has been a fantastic swim instructor for my 6 year old son and he is always smiling during lessons with her. Jessica really focuses on water safety and proper technique – setting him up to build on his strokes and he continues to progress. Jessica is always very kind to my son and to my family and we have really seem swimming progress with my son.-Kristin

I am so pleased with Jessica as an instructor for our 4-year-old grandson. Before he started lessons, he wouldn’t put his head under the water. After one lesson, she had him diving to the bottom of the pool to retrieve toys. Importantly, he likes and respects her as a teacher. She makes it fun while providing professional instruction. He listens to her and is willing to follow instructions. That’s huge for a 4-year-old boy. -Gail

I found Jes’s contact info on a neighborhood site and contacted her about swim lessons for my two boys- 9 and 6 years old. When we spoke on the phone, she was thorough and deliberate about how she conducted swim lessons. I told her that my youngest was not going to be easy. The swim teacher I had used the prior summer was good but she had been too harsh with him and, in turn, he refused to swim.

I’ve told Jes that she is magic. She took a child that refused to even put his face in the water and transformed him to one that loves being in the water and is going to end the sessions being able to swim.

She has the boys repeat “I will try” when they are learning and she is gentle and kind with corrections. I have seen leaps and bounds in progress and would recommend Jes to any age or skill level. -Amy

Jessica was amazing with my daughter, Violet. She encouraged Violets levels of confidence and playful side instantly. My daughter was willing to try more advanced swim moves and she had a genuinely good time. I appreciate the hard work and the personalities were a treat match. Violet was always excited to see her and go back to lessons. We will definitely be getting more lessons after we see what the first week of school this year will look like. -Angela

We enrolled our 9-year-old (non-swimming) son in swim lessons with Jessica. By the end of the first lesson, he was swimming freestyle. As his parents, we are thrilled, and our son is on cloud nine. Jessica is a calm and encouraging teacher, apparently capable of miracles. We recommend her emphatically.

-Jeff and Jennifer

Jes has great communication skills and kept the attention of our 3 year old, Braxton. Her teaching is sweet and fun. Braxton has learned exponentially from each lesson and I believe that Jes is the major factor in his success. I'd recommend her for any future instruction. -Bryon

Having Jessica as a swim teacher for my two boys has literally been a lifesaver. Before lessons, one son wouldn’t go underwater without holding his nose, no matter how much I tried to encourage him. But after 20 minutes, Jessica had him going under the water like a fish! The other kiddo is picking up on freestyle so well and each week I’m thoroughly impressed! So thankful we have found Jessica to help them learn such an important skill! -Jessica

Braxton has really enjoyed his lessons with you. I so appreciate your calm demeanor with a 3 year old and he really seems to respond well to you. I would have never believed he could learn so much in such a short period of time -Terry

Sawyer is loving her lessons and I have seen a huge increase in her confidence. She trusts and enjoys Jessica’s teaching. Jessica is patient with helping Sawyer to focus and understand why she need to learn certain techniques to stay safe. Jessica has the perfect combo of challenging Sawyer and celebrating her when she does good. Parent teacher communication is great as well. We are looking forward to another 6 weeks of learning. -Rachelle

I signed my 3 year old daughter up for 6 sessions and I’m thrilled with the progress she made! My daughter didn’t want to put her head in the water during her first session and at session 6 she would dive to get toys, blow bubbles, and glide between me and Jessica. My family bought a 1 month swim pass to supplement her learning in-between lessons and I had other moms ask me if she’s taking lessons because they were so impressed! I hope to sign her up with Jessica again in a few months! Thanks for everything! -Laurynn

We have been incredibly pleased with our children's swimming progress since they started taking lessons with Jessica. In just a few weeks, they are both swimming so much better than they were before. I am also so appreciative of the kind way with which she speaks to my children, and she doesn't pressure them or make them feel bad for having an off day. We will definitely be signing up for more lessons with Jessica. -Kristin '

Jessica was a fabulous swim instructor for both of our boys (ages 3 and 1). Our older boy had been in swim lessons before but it had been over 9 months since his last lesson and he had basically forgotten everything. Within just a few lessons he was swimming around and diving for toys under the water and floating on his back -- most importantly he was LOVING being in the water but was learning how to be safe by swimming to the side and learning how to push himself out of the pool. Jes was patient, kind and made it so much fun for him. Jes was also great with our one year old - she was teaching him to be comfortable in the water, learning how to float on his back and going under water. The boys loved their swim lessons and loved being with Jes in the pool - she made them feel so comfortable! I would highly recommend her as a swim instructor! -Megan

Our daughter had the best experience doing swimming lessons with Jessica. She tends to be shy but Jessica made her feel so comfortable. Also, our daughter had never been in a swimming pool so Jessica taught her how to be safe in and around the water. We will definitely be doing more swimming lessons with Jessica! She's the best! -Kerry

Our boys (5 and 7) were really eager to advance their swimming skills, but it's also tough to get them to focus/listen for almost any length of time. Jes held their attention and was able to get them excited about learning to swim. Our younger son was pretty timid but Jes brought him out of his shell and he was so proud of the progress he made. They are both so confident now and we feel better knowing they have a strong foundation which makes them so much safer and more comfortable in the water. - Morgan

Coach Jes has been very good with my two daughters. They have made a lot of improvements in their swimming. She makes lessons fun and encourages them to improve. They look forward to their swim lessons. -Erin

Makin Waves with Jes!

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