The founder of the Lifeguard Academy praises “The Chief” for his achievements

Anthony Jones (center) stands with his mother Chanelle Taylor (right) and grandmother Linda Toney after last week’s meeting of Mahoning County Commissioners, where Jones was praised for his role in recovering the body of a man who drowned in Jackson Borough a year ago.

YOUNGSTOWN — Kevin Tarpley attended a meeting of Mahoning County commissioners last week to thank them for $100,000 in federal American Rescue Plan funding to support the Youngstown Lifeguard Academy, which Tarpley founded, and to talk about some of its achievements.

Tarpley, who is executive director, introduced Anthony Jones, 21, one of the young men who went through the Lifeguard Academy and went on to become a certified professional lifeguard, a certified diver, a dive master candidate and a member of the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Dive Team.

Tarpley told commissioners that Jones was one of two members of the Mahoning County sheriff’s dive team who entered a large pond in Jackson Township on Oct. 31, 2023, and recovered the body of a Lodi man who drowned while working for a maintenance company there.

The Lifeguard Academy is intended for youth and adults aged 15 to 24.

Tarpley said Jones called him after the rescue and told him it was a different experience than saving people from drowning in a pool. Members of the Youngstown Lifeguard Academy, among other things, work as lifeguards at the Youngstown North Side Pool.

Tarpley said he told Jones what a valuable service he provided to the dead man’s family that day.

“This mother, this father, this family would stay up all night, pacing the floor, wanting to go to that pond and pull their loved one out. You calmed them down,” he said. “It made a difference.”

Tarpley said Jones is also a Youngstown Lifeguard Academy dive team leader and a certified medical technician.

Tarpley said he called Jones “chief” because Tarpley said he wanted Jones “to aim to be someone’s fire chief.”

Jones spoke briefly to commissioners, saying it was “almost unrealistic” to “have babies on the side of the road” and thanked commissioners “for believing in us.”

Chanelle Taylor, Jones’ mother, thanked commissioners for the funding “which was necessary for him and the other members of the Lifeguard Academy to be successful in their endeavors, all new scuba divers.”

“For me, as a parent, these are great things. When we send our children to school, we all feel anxious: “What will they do?” I work as a parent, my mother was a probation officer and worked in Youngstown City Schools for years.”

When her son started studying at the Lifeguard Academy at the age of 16, “I had no vision that he would finish high school and a few years later become a certified diver with three-level qualifications (emergency medical technician). He is also a (government nursing assistant). He goes to paramedic school. He does a lot.”

Taylor, a licensed school counselor, said her son’s achievements are “profound because they started in school.” Mr. Tarpley came to school and said, “I want to talk to your young people. I would like to see who wants to join the Lifeguard Academy.”

She said she gathered the children and some signed up, including her son. “Not everyone made it. That’s life, right? They promote resilience, decisiveness and perseverance. He’s just not allowed to come to celebrations and other cool things.” She said a person studying at the lifeguard academy must behave in school, do their job and be active in the community.

“These are character traits that we all agree that the citizens of Youngstown should absolutely possess,” she said.

Tarpley said that as part of the “five-year process” of creating the Lifeguard Academy, an officer handbook was written with academy participants. “It’s part of their training. If they are going to accept the rules, they will help implement them. And then you have to challenge them. Hey, you made this rule yourself. I failed. We don’t just give away stuff. They have to make money and they have to be part of the process,” Tarpley said.

The rules in the handbook will be reviewed in a year and young people will understand, like any government agency, “that’s how you make rules,” he said.

County commissioners allocated $50,000 in ARP funds to the Lifeguard Academy in April 2023 and another $50,000 in September 2024, said Audrey Tillis, county administrator.