REGISTRATION REGISTRATION New Junior Guards are required to pass a swim test before they can register for the program. JGs who took a year off are not considered returning and must re-test. If your child participated in summer 2026, they are not required to try out. For more information about tryouts, visit the " TRYOUTS " page. Registration Deadlines Feb 1 JG Program Registration Opens April 16 Priority Registration Deadline April 25 Lottery Registration Deadline May 23 FINAL Registration Deadline Scholarships To be eligible for financial assistance consideration, your child must be a current student enrolled in a Long Beach Unified School District school. Scholarship awards are based on annual household income. The scholarship application is 1-page and applicants are asked to provide us additional documentation to show their annual income. Families should fill out an application for each child they wish to have participate. If you are applying for a scholarship, you will be allowed to register for the program without paying the fee.  Once scholarship awards are announced, you will be required to pay the balance if you did not receive a full scholarship.  SCHOLARSHIP APP Priority Registration Returning Junior Lifeguards (those that participated in Summer 2026) are given priority for the selection of their preferred session but they MUST submit registration packets by the designated registration deadline. Lottery Registration All other JGs requesting the morning session will be placed in a lottery to determine which session they will be in. To be placed in the morning lottery, registration packets must be submitted by the Lottery Deadline. For more information check out the Lottery Policy below. Lottery Policy How to Register Registration takes place online with our partners LB Parks & Recreation. JGs interested in the Cadet Program are required to pass the Cadet Tryout before registering. How to Register Lottery Policy Registration must be submitted by the Lottery Deadline in order to be considered for the morning lottery Any returning JGs requesting the morning session that register AFTER the Priority Deadline will be placed in the morning lottery. For families who have multiple children in the lottery pool, the family will be entered in as one (1) lottery name rather than separate name entries for each individual child. For example, the Smith Family has 2 children who will be participating in the JG program for the first time. One child is in the B group and the other is in the C group. Both children will be placed in the lottery pool as one entry (i.e. Smith Family). If the Smith Family is chosen for the morning session then both children will be placed in morning session groups despite being in two different age groups. If the Smith Family does not get selected for the morning session, both children will be placed in afternoon groups For families with one returning JG and one new JG, only the returning JG will be considered for priority registration. The new JG will be entered into the lottery for session placement. In the event that two siblings are placed in separate sessions, the returning JG has the option to move to the afternoon session. A morning waitlist will be automatically created based on the lottery results. If a spot in the morning session becomes available, the JG team will notify families via email. Frequently asked questions Registration What steps should I take to become a JG? What is the cost of the program? The cost of the 2026 Program is $606 per junior lifeguard. Scholarships are available through Long Beach Unified School District to those who qualify. Please contact us at LBJG@longbeach.gov for more information. Are there scholarship opportunities available? Yes, we offer full and partial scholarships based on household income. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship please email LBJG@longbeach.gov. What is the program's refund policy? We issue full refunds of $596 (there is a $10 non-refundable processing fee), but we do not issue refunds for the AAU insurance. The last day to request a refund is Friday, June 26th (Friday of the first week of the summer program). You can send an email to LBJG@longbeach.gov and we will reach out to Parks & Rec to issue the refund. The refund will be credited to the card used to pay for the program. When are the registration deadlines? Summer 2026 registration deadlines are TBA. There are three separate registration deadlines. Please see below for tentative dates: April 17th: Priority Registration (JGs that participated in 2025) April 26th: Morning Lottery Registration May 24th: Last Chance Registration What is the difference between Priority registration and Lottery registration? Due to the high demand for our morning session, we have a strict policy for the selection of the morning group through Priority Registration and Lottery Registration. Priority Registration: RETURNING Junior Lifeguards are given priority for the selection of their preferred session but MUST submit registration packets by the designated registration deadline. Lottery Registration: All other junior lifeguards (including returning JGs that have NOT submitted registration by the priority deadline) who would like to be in the morning session will be placed in a lottery to determine which session they will be in. To be placed in the morning lottery, registration packets must be submitted by the Lottery Deadline. Families will be notified of their session placement via email. I have one child who is a returning JG and one child who will be new to the program this year, do both of my children qualify for priority registration? No. Only your returning JG qualifies for priority registration and ONLY if their registration packet is submitted by the priority registration deadline. Your child who will be participating for the first time this year will be entered into the lottery for session preference. Are uniforms included in the program cost? The program fee includes one t-shirt and one pair of swim trunks. If you would like to purchase additional uniform items you will need to pay for those separately. We highly recommend purchasing additional uniform items before the summer program. The link to our online store will be available before the 2026 summer program begins. My child is young/old for their grade and we would like to move them down/up to a different age group (age group change request). Is this possible? Returning JGs can request to move up/down a group pending approval from the JG Coordinator. If your JG is requesting to move age groups in the morning session, you must request the switch BEFORE the priority registration deadline. For new JGs, you are encouraged to remain in your true age group.

About JGs LBJGs is a 6 week summer program for youth age 9 to 17. The program focuses on strengthening ocean swimming skills physical fitness, and beach safety awareness. This program gives students the experience they need for future careers as lifeguards or in various public service professions. LEARN MORE HOW TO JOIN TRYOUTS New JGs must pass a tryout at one of the scheduled Tryout dates or at a prep class before they register. The JG program has 8 tryouts scheduled from February through May. Check the “Tryouts” page of the JG website for dates and to sign up! TRYOUTS REGISTRATION Registration opens in February every year. Due to the high demand for our morning session, we have a priority registration policy. Check the "REGISTRATION" page for more information. REGISTRATION PREP CLASS Is your swimmer nervous about passing the JG tryout? Prep Class is a great opportunity for prosepctive new JGs to improve their swimming stroke, speed, and confidence in the water. PREP CLASS

SUMMER 2027 Registration opens February 2027 Sign up for our email list to stay up-to-date with all of our announcements! EMAIL LIST REGISTRATION About JGs LBJGs is a 6 week summer program for youth age 9 to 17. The program focuses on strengthening ocean swimming skills physical fitness, and beach safety awareness. This program gives students the experience they need for future careers as lifeguards or in various public service professions. LEARN MORE HOW TO JOIN TRYOUTS New JGs must pass a tryout at one of the scheduled Tryout dates or at a prep class before they register. The JG program has 8 tryouts scheduled from February through May. Check the “Tryouts” page of the JG website for dates and to sign up! TRYOUTS REGISTRATION Registration opens in February every year. Due to the high demand for our morning session, we have a priority registration policy. Check the "REGISTRATION" page for more information. REGISTRATION PREP CLASS Is your swimmer nervous about passing the JG tryout? Prep Class is a great opportunity for prosepctive new JGs to improve their swimming stroke, speed, and confidence in the water. PREP CLASS

JG TRYOUTS TRYOUT SIGN-UPS Who needs to tryout? New Junior Guards are required to pass a swim test before they can register for the program. JGs who took a year off are not considered returning and must re-test. If your child participated in summer 2025, they are not required to try out. There is no fee to take a swim test. What is the tryout swim? All age groups must complete 100 yards under 2 minutes (100 meters under 2:13.2). All swim tests must be supervised by a member of our staff. The swim test is a safety standard and there are no exceptions. If your child may need some extra help before attempting the swim test, we recommend looking into our FREE JG Prep Class. When can my child tryout? We host 8 tryouts throughout the Spring. Hopeful JGs can check in anytime from 8 AM-12 PM. Once assigned a lane, participants will be given 3 attempts to pass the tryout, but are more than welcome to attend multiple tryouts if they don't pass the first time. Use the links below to sign-up for a tryout! 2027 TRYOUT DATES Belmont Plaza Pool 4320 E Olympic Plaza, Long Beach, CA 90803 Feb 6th March 6th April 17th May 8th Silverado Park Pool 1540 W 32nd St, Long Beach CA 90810 Feb 20th March 20th April 24th May 22nd Tryout Sign-Ups 128 days to the event Saturday, February 6th Sat, Feb 06 Belmont Plaza Pool More info RSVP 142 days to the event Saturday, February 20th Sat, Feb 20 Silverado Park Pool More info RSVP

PHONE SUMMER PROGRAM DETAILS How to Be a JG The Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Summer Program offers students ages nine to seventeen instruction in lifeguard rescue techniques, first aid, ocean sports, physical conditioning, and marine ecology. This program gives students the experience they need for future careers as lifeguards or in various public service professions. All aspects of beach activity will be explored from running to skin diving. The program is presented in a manner that will enable students to participate to the best of his or her ability while learning new skills. We end each summer with the annual Ironguard event, a four mile run and two mile swim that shows students the progress they have made throughout the summer. REGISTRATION 6-week Program June 21-July 30 AM & PM Sessions Morning: 9am-12pm Afternoon: 1pm-4pm Ages 9-17 Cadets: 15-17 years old A Group: 14-17 years old B Group: 12-13 years old C Group: 9-11 years old 2027 TBA Scholarships available for LBUSD students Learn More What's a day in the life look like? For more information about the day-to-day of the Junior Lifeguard program, check out the Summer Handbook! LEARN MORE

SUMMER HANDBOOK The JG Team created the Family Handbook to give JG families as much information as we can about the day-to-day operations of the JG Program, as well as special events. Below are some of the highlights from the handbook. We highly recommend taking the time to go through the entirety of the handbook and reviewing it with your JG before the start of the program. Pick-up/Drop-off JG drop off is located in the parking lot off of Claremont and Ocean Blvd. Your child's instructor will meet their group at the lot every day for drop off, and will accompany your child back to the lot at the end of every day for pick up. What to Bring Everyday essentials include: Backpack Towel Snacks Sunscreen Water JG Uniform Hat If your JG brings their cell phone to the program, it must remain in their bag during throughout the session. Sun Safety We recommend that all JGs bring an SPF 30 or higher water-resistant, reef-safe sunscreen with them every day. Sunscreen should be applied at home before the session. JGs will have time during their session to reapply – typically at the beginning and towards the middle of the program. JGs who burn easily should wear a shirt or rash guard whenever possible. It is also recommended that all JGs wear a hat and sunglasses whenever possible. JG uniform hats and rashguards can be purchased on the JG Online Store. Uniforms Junior Lifeguards are required to arrive in uniform every day. The JG uniform consists of a red JG shirt and navy JG trunks. One shirt and one pair of trunks will be provided with registration . Any additional uniform items can be purchased via the JG Online Store. We have designated Uniform Distribution dates prior to the start of the program. Those dates will be announced in the spring. LEARN MORE Bike Safety JGs who ride their bike to the program are required to wear a helmet. Helmets must be properly secured and buckled while riding. It is required that JGs properly lock up their bikes to the bike racks. Please be sure to discuss bike safety tips with your JG if they will be frequently biking to the program. The link below has important safety tips from the City of Long Beach. BIKE SAFETY Absences All excused absences need to be reported on the JG website. You can fill out the excused absence form on the " ABSENCES " page. We will no longer be accepting absence notifications through email as they get lost in our inbox. ABSENCES

CADET INTERNS This opportunity is available for high school students who have completed at least one year of the Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Cadet Program. All students regardless of school district are encouraged to appy. Interns will have opportunities to learn more about careers in public safety, work in a professional environment, and develop a better understanding of the operations of the Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Program. Job Details Assist JG Team with administrative work out of Fire Headquarters and JG office Assist Junior Lifeguard Instructors during JG Prep Classes throughout the spring Opportunities to learn about different facets of Marine Safety (ie. Rescue Boat tours, station tours, dispatch shadowing) Participate in weekly physical conditioning Use the knowledge gathered from the internship to complete a group project Application Requirements Applicant must be in good standing with their high school Applicant must have completed one summer of the Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Cadet Program Interested Cadets must email their Resume and Letter of Interest to LBJG@longbeach.gov , addressed to Kylee Yocky APPLICATIONS FOR 2027 ARE DUE: FRIDAY 9/18 2024 Cadet Interns Elizabeth Aydin I am a sophomore at Millikan High School and I am part of the compass pathway. I'm also on the swim and water polo team at Millikan and I have been part of the JG program for 1 year. I am looking forward to learning more about helping my community and getting involved in new things I would have never before. One of my most recent accomplishments was getting a 5 on the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. 2024 Cadet Intern What is your favorite place in Long Beach? El Dorado Park What is your hidden talent? I can walk on my hands If you could introduce a new sport in the Olympics, what would it be? Hide and seek in the dark Niko Ponce I am currently a sophomore at Millikan High School and am a part of the water polo and swim team. I was a JG for 5 years and currently working towards doing my 6th year as a Cadet. I am most looking forward to learning about the different skills, techniques, and characteristics that make a good lifeguard. One of my recent accomplishments was being moved up to play CIF varsity for water polo as a sophomore this past season. 2024 Cadet Intern What is your hidden talent? I know how to play the guitar Who is someone you admire? My parents and my grandpa If you could do a lifeguard exchange anywhere in the world, where would you go? Hawai’i Paul Sullivan I am a sophomore at Millikan. I have played water polo and swam for two years at Millikan. On top of my physical training, I maintain a 4.0 GPA and frequently attend the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Club, Law Club, and Childhood Cancer Club. I have been a Long Beach JG for 3 years and I look forward to completing my 4th as a Cadet. One of my most recent accomplishments is participating in a Criminal Mock Trial as a PEACE student at Millikan High School. 2024 Cadet Intern Julia Gisel I am a Junior at Saint Joseph High School and I am apart of of the swim and Water Polo teams, I am also apart of ASB (Student Government) and theatre. I have been apart of the Junior Lifeguard program for 2 years, with one year as a Cadet and I am really excited to continue with this amazing program. One of my most recent accomplishments is ending my last semester with a 4.4 grade point average. 2024 Cadet Intern What is your hidden talent? Crocheting and sewing. If you could add one sport to the Olympics what would it be? Ski Ballet. What is your Favorite place in Long Beach? Bixby Knolls . Sofia Castro I am a junior at Saint Joseph High School and currently do swim and water polo. I have been a part of the Junior Lifeguard program for 6 years, as well as one year in the JG Cadet Program. I am most looking forward to gaining experience on how to best support my community and gaining knowledge on how to be the best lifeguard I can possibly be. I have a passion for serving my community and uplifting others. One of my most recent accomplishments is earning a 4.2 GPA. 2024 Cadet Intern 1. What is your hidden talent? I can make cool jewelry. 2. Who is someone you admire? I admire my friend Julia and my mom. 3. If you could introduce a new sport in the Olympics, what would it be? I would introduce laser tag to the Olympics. Gary Romero Bio coming soon! 2024 Cadet Intern

< Back Sabrina Zavala Junior Lifeguard Assistant Coordinator This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site.

IRONGUARD TOP FINISHERS 2026 A Group - Girls Summer Lee- 1:23.80 Leah Lopex- 1:27.50 Livia Kaleps- 1:30.30 B Group - Girls Azul Velasco- 1:28.45 Juliana Cavrikas- 1:31.00 Dahlia Cardenas- 1:37.00 C Group - Girls Luke Spittle- 1:29.59 Kingston Cardenas- 1:34.34 Ronan Rawson- 1:43.00 A Group - Boys Lucas Ramirez- 1:14.57 Nathaniel Terrell- 1:17.04 Noah Mimila- 1:18.55 B Group - Boys Jackson Ramsey- 1:19.41 Manus Jensen- 1:22.00 Richard Cardenas- 1:23.06 C Group - Boys Giuliana Rodiles- 1:34.00 Lottie Vanderbeek-McCall- 1:37.58 Kalista Remyn- 1:40.00 2025 A Group - Girls McKenna Rosenberg- 1:12.43 Kara Cohu - 1:1310 Sophia Newland - 1:18.00 B Group - Girls Emmylou Kennedy- 1:13.19 Claire Billish- 1:14.00 Katelyn Pearce- 1:19.04 C Group - Girls Azul Velasco- 1:27.40 Ren Aguado- 1:33.29 Marina Carney- 1:39.00 A Group - Boys Mit Muni- 1:01.55 John Green- 1:05.15 Aidan Conrey- 1:10.00 B Group - Boys Dean VanderWal- 1:10.36 Colin Shanedling- 1:13.10 Donovan Hughlett- 1:16.50 C Group - Boys Sean Daniels- 1:17.59 Jaxson Avila- 1:23.12 Ronan Rawson- 1:34.07 2024 A Group - Girls Natalia Pragale - 1:15:57 Elizabeth Aydin- 1:24:09 Mckenna Rosenberg- 1:24:50 B Group - Girls Kara Cohu- 1:18:20 Emmylou Kennedy- 1:23:20 Sophia Newland- 1:25:00 C Group - Girls Audrey Naranjo- 1:24:39 Zoey Amaro Vidrio- 1:29:02 Julianna Cavrikas- 1:31:00 A Group - Boys Mit Muni- 1:09:51 John Green- 1:13:03 Tyler Mattenson- 1:15:05 B Group - Boys Lucas Ramirez- 1:15:05 Brandon Waldenfels- 1:19:38 Aidan Conrey- 1:20:23 C Group - Boys Sean Daniels- 1:22:21 Ricky Cardenas- 1:30:19 Ayden Spjut- 1:30:20 * Current or former Long Beach Lifeguard

Environmental Stewardship Essay Contest As a capstone to the program, LBJGs have the opportunity to participate in an essay contest. The essays reflect on their personal experiences as Junior Lifeguards and their time at the Aquarium, as well as, encourage participants to articulate their personal growth and insights gained from the program. JGs are also asked to explore the relationship between environmental stewardship and community responsibility. Generous donations support the essay contest, including a four first prize scholarships of $1,000 from the Jr. Lifeguard Foundation and Aquarium of the Pacific Board Members, Bob and Val Hoffman. Second and third place prizes with experiences donated by the Aquarium of the Pacific. - Santana Hernandez Jackson, A Group “I am grateful for these experiences because they have shown me that environmental stewardship and community responsibility go hand in hand.” Writing Contest Information This is an optional writing contest; it is not required to participate in the LBJG program. 3 winners from each age group will be selected - Cadets (15-17 years old), A Group (14-17 years old), B Group (12-13 years old), and C Group (9-11 years old). Winners will be announced at the Junior Lifeguard Awards Ceremony. If your JG would like to participate in the essay contest, they must submit their essay to their JG instructor by JULY 20. Continue Reading for essay prompt, rules and prizes! 2026 Essay Contest Prompt ONLY Cadet, A and B Group Reflecting on your experiences as a Junior Lifeguard and your time spent at the Aquarium of the Pacific, write an essay that explores the relationship of environmental stewardship and community responsibility. ONLY C Group Think about your time as a Junior Lifeguard and at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Write a story about what you learned about helping the ocean and its creatures. You may include a drawing with your essay. Essay Guidelines: Cadets and A Group: Essay can be up to 2 pages typed, double spaced B Group: Essay can be up to 1 page typed, double spaced or handwritten Handwritten essays will only be accepted if the writing is legible. C Group: Essay can be up to 3 paragraphs typed or handwritten and can include a drawing Handwritten essays will only be accepted if the writing is legible. Drawings are not mandatory JGs can get official lined paper for their handwritten essay from their JG instructor 2026 Awards and Prizes There will be a 1st place, 2nd place and 3rd place winner from each age group below: Cadets (15-17 years old) A group (14-17 years old) B group (12-13 years old) C group (9-11 years old) Winners will receive the following prizes: 1st Place Winners (4 winners) $1000 Scholarship - $500 from the Aquarium of the Pacific & $500 from the Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Foundation 2nd Place Winners (4 winners) 6 tickets to the Aquarium Aquarium of the Pacific beanie 3rd Place Winners (4 winners) 2 tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific “Just because we don’t live in the ocean doesn’t mean that the beach isn’t part of our community; it is, and it’s what makes Long Beach so special.” - Louie Munoz, B Group “As Junior Lifeguards, we are not just trained in water rescue but also became ambassadors for marine conservation.” - Makayla Amadeus, A Group