Sylvie Goldner attended Bard High School Early College in Manhattan. She was a competitive swimmer and is water safety instructor and lifeguard certified. When she heard that some of her peers could not swim and realized that there is an entire community of teenagers who do not have this important life skill, she became driven to create First Strokes. Swimming has been a huge part of her life and has given her endless joy, confidence, and community. Through First Strokes, she hopes to spread this necessary life skill to all students in New York City, and eventually to students everywhere around the country.