Nothing says summer like the smell of sunscreen, the sound of splashing in the pool and cooling off in the water with friends and family. As a city with over 225,000 people, full of families who call Santa Clarita home, one of the best summer jobs for teens is becoming a lifeguard. If you’re looking for a meaningful and responsible way to spend your summer (that is also a lot of fun) this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Our city proudly boasts eight outdoor pools located throughout our community, each providing a place for recreation, fitness and socialization. Earlier this year, we were excited to open a brand-new addition to our city facilities, an indoor pool at the Valencia Community Center. This location will provide programming year-round, and expands our aquatic opportunities for those who like to stay fit during the winter months.

Pools are the heart of summer activity, hosting everything from swim lessons for our youngest residents, to advance training for competitive swimmers and even water polo and underwater hockey. Each of our pools are a hub for the surrounding neighborhoods and residents across the city. They are the ideal place to cool off while playing or staying active with classes like Water Zumba and H2Oga classes. Our lifeguards play a crucial role ensuring these experiences are safe, welcoming and memorable for everyone.

Being a lifeguard is much more than just a summer job, it’s an opportunity to obtain skills that can make a real difference throughout your life. Through our training, lifeguards will participate in CPR, First Aid and water rescue techniques. These are not just job requirements, but essential abilities that could one day help save a life. Lifeguards also have the opportunity to develop invaluable experience in leadership and responsibility as they are instrumental in coaching swim teams, providing proactive safety measures and managing the dynamic environments at our pools.

Beyond the skills and experience, being a lifeguard also means joining a team of like-minded peers who share the same dedication towards the safety of our community. With flexible hours, lifeguards can balance work with summer activities, while earning competitive pay. And let’s not forget, you’ll spend your days outdoors, staying active and being part of an energetic and supportive team.

As a lifeguard, you’ll have the chance to be part of a variety of summer activities that bring so much joy to families and adults in our community. Whether you are leading one of our beloved, upbeat water aerobics classes, floating like starfish with new swimmers, instructing divers off of our meter boards or coaching our junior guard program, there is something for every interest and skill level.

If you or someone you know will be at least 16-years-old by June 1, we encourage you to apply to become a city of Santa Clarita lifeguard. Tryouts will take place throughout February and consist of a 400-yard swim, which will need to be completed in eight minutes or less, followed by an interview. All applications must be completed online by February 22. To learn more about the position or to apply, please visit SantaClarita.gov/Jobs.

Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.