To the Editor:

I’ve spent every summer at Nassau Swim Club since I was born and have been on the swim and dive teams for 10 years. I truly cannot begin to comprehend why anyone would want to develop this beautiful land. Nassau has provided the Princeton community with a peaceful and diverse space for more than 50 years. At Nassau, children of all ages and backgrounds come together to spend their summers together. Nassau is a place for everyone, from the baby pool for kids to lap lanes for adults.

One of my favorite things about Nassau is that many kids ride their bikes or walk to practice and stay at the pool all day hanging out with their friends. Both the swim and dive teams offer support regardless of skill level. It doesn’t matter if you have never swum before or are on a club team; the coaches and teammates provide an extremely positive and encouraging environment. The teams are a perfect blend of competitive and fun.

In addition to the wonderful teams, Nassau Swim Club also has a camp that runs for the majority of the summer. The camp includes many creative opportunities such as bracelet making, drawing, science lessons, and more. It’s so special to me to have grown up doing fun crafts with the counselors and I now have the opportunity to be a counselor and watch the younger kids have a blast and make lifelong friendships.

People join Nassau because of the community. We don’t mind that there’s no snack bar or that the bathrooms aren’t super fancy because the people are what makes Nassau so special. I can confidently say I am good friends with everyone on the team, which is something a lot of people on other swim teams can’t say.

Whether it was a part of your childhood many years ago or you are currently a member, Nassau is a truly unique and special place regardless of age, and losing it would be devastating to so many people.

Magdalena Monastra
Age 16
Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville