It's official.  Elliot has now completed his culturally-mandated swimming lessons and graduated with high honors.  Today, he received his covted Zwemdiploma A (Swimming Diploma, Level A), and we were there to witness the occasion.

For all the cynicism that I've expressed previously (primarily related to the ways that social pressure is applied to make parents pay large amounts of money for a skill set that most American children learn gradually, under much less stringent conditions, and with a much lower price tag), I have to admit that it was a pretty cool experience to witness this classic Dutch rite of passage.  I felt very proud to see that my son was able to fight through his fears -- marked by weekly terrified, tear-wrenching episodes -- for several months in a row in order to achieve this milestone.

The official requirements for this level of certification are as follows:

WHILE WEARING STREET CLOTHES:

1. From a 1-meter diving platform, jump into the water feet-first (going completely under the water); and after rising to the water's surface, continuing to
2. Tread water for 15 seconds, using both arms and legs, follwed by
3. Swimming the breast-stroke for 12.5 meters, diving under a line, making a half-turn on the horizontal axis and
4. Swimming the back-stroke for 12.5 meters (arms may be actively employed); ending the exam with
5. Climbing out of the water, independently (potentially with the use of a ladder), at the side of the pool.

WHILE WEARING SWIMMING ATIRE:

1. From the side of the pool or a diving platform, jump into the water (preferably with a head-first dive), directly followed by (without surfacing)
2. Orienting oneself under water and swimming, while submerged, through a hole in a vertically-positioned wall in the water placed 3 meters from the starting wall; after surfacing, continuing to
3. Swim the breast-stroke for 50 meters, ending this portion of the exam with
4. Swimming the simple back-stroke (with passive arms).
5. Then, voluntarily entering the water with a head-first dive, followed by launching from the side of the pool and then continuing to
6. Float for 10 seconds on the chest, followed by a few short meters of the breast-stroke, after which
7. Floating for an additional 5 seconds on the chest, after which a few meters of the breast-stroke.
8. Then, launching from the side of the pool and floating on the back for 10 seconds, after which
9. Swimming for a few short meters with a simple back-stroke, followed by 10 seconds of floating on the back, finishing this portion of the exam with a few meters of the simple back-stroke.
10. Then, from the side of the pool or a diving platform, entering the water with a jump (preferably a head-first dive), followed by 8 meters of beginners-crawl swimming.
11. In the water, pushing off from the wall, swimming for 8 meters of beginners-crawl swimming, followed by
12. 60 seconds of treading water, using arms and legs, in which a complete turn is made at least twice along the vertical axis.

It's hard-core stuff, isn't it?  The Dutch do not mess around, when it comes to their swimming!  They say it's all the water lying around, in the canals and ponds and lakes -- it requires a serious and sober assessment of a child's ability to fend for himself in the water.

Fortunately, Elliot's lessons prepared him well, and he was able to perform all the required tasks with very little difficulty (you can see Elliot in the long-distance photographs by virtue of his orange swimming trunks and black swimming shirt).

What we were not completely prepared for was the festive atmosphere of the swimming pool.

One of the life-guards/instructors wore a head-mounted microphone and entertained the crowd very much like a game-show host.  Most of the kids going for their diplomas had brought not just moms, dads, brothers, and sisters -- but also grandparents and aunts and uncles and neighbors.  There was probably a good 60 or 70 people on hand to witness the occasion!  Wild applause and shouting was encouraged (even expected).  And even while the kids were doing their swimming, there was music playing over the loudspeakers and everyone clapped along in rhythm to the songs.  Everyone was taking pictures and video footage.  And, from what I heard from other parents in the locker rooms afterwards, many of the "graduates" were to be congratulated with gifts when they got home.

Overall, the atmosphere was much more like a children's birthday party than a swimming examination.  In spite of the seriousness of the swimming requirements, there were no clipboards or checklists.  None of the children who were there failed (though I'm guessing that some of the children from Elliot's class were told that they were not yet ready to take the exam).  It really felt more like a celebratory exhibition than a test or a ceremony.

A good time was had by all.

It was especially nice that we got to have some "extended family" -- in the form of our church friends, Naomi, Linda, and Claire -- come to witness the occasion with us.  Elliot was all smiles, posing with his diploma and with everyone who was there at the poolside ceremony.

Afterwards, we went out for ice cream to celebrate.  We didn't really get Elliot any other gifts to mark the occasion (though he didn't seem to mind or expect them).  I think he was just glad to be done with it all -- and to have had the opportunity to shine in the spotlight for an afternoon.  As we were leaving the swimming facilities, the teachers were trying to warn us of the necessity of the children going on to get their B (and eventually their C) diplomas as well.  But we told Elliot that he's allowed to decide if and when he would like to continue his swimming lessons, in the future.

For now, he's just basking in the glory of his A-diploma.

[In case you're interested, there are a few additional photos of the afternoon available for viewing in the Family Pictures section of this website.]