Sophia Geibel works with Leonidas Maier in the adaptive swim program for children with special needs at the Butler YMCA Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Reese Sequite, 15, of Butler, loves helping people and wants to become a doctor. She also loves swimming.

She found a way to combine those passions by starting an adaptive swimming program for children with special needs at the Butler YMCA.

“Tucker is my brother and he has Down syndrome. I wanted to have swimming lessons for him and others like him, and help the community,” Reese said Saturday after leading swimming lessons for the six children in the program.

A group of seven volunteers, who are her teammates on the Butler Barracudas swim team at the YMCA, help her teach the one-on-one swim lessons that she prepares for each of the six children in the class.

Reese has been a member of Butler Barracudas for five years, a member of the Butler Senior High School swim team for two years, and has been swimming since she was a child. She is a sophomore in the Butler Area School District.

“I love this. Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to help people,” Reese said.

One of the children in her class, 10-year-old Leonidas Maier, will be joining Reese on the Barracudas when the season starts in November. The team has started training for the season.

Leonidas said he enjoys taking swimming lessons from Reese and has learned a lot, including how to start a race by diving from a starting block.

He said the backstroke is his favorite way to swim.

Reese’s mother, Noelle Sequite, a life skills teacher at Butler Intermediate High School, said Reese came up with the idea for the adaptive swimming lessons and got approval to start the program from the YMCA.

“She came to me this summer with the idea of starting an adaptive swimming program,” Noelle said.

Helping the children feel comfortable in the water and water safety skills are parts of each lesson, she said.

Noelle assists with the classes, which began in September. Classes consist of 30 minutes of lessons followed by a 15-minute free swim.

“It’s a social thing for them as well,” Noelle said.

The program ends Oct. 19.

Leonidas Maier has done so well in the adaptive swim program for children with special needs that he has been accepted onto the swim team. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Tucker Sequite inspired his sister, Reese to create an adaptive swim program for children with special needs at the YMCA. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Marshall Miller helps student Bobby Conners float at the Butler YMCA in an adaptive swim program for children with special needs. Holly Mead/Special to the Butler Eagle

Butler High School student Reese Sequite, 15, helps Liam Eves get across the pool in an adaptive swim program Reese created for children with special needs. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Butler High School student Reese Sequite, 15, works with student Leah Bender in an adaptive swim program Reese created for children with special needs. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Butler High School student Reese Sequite, 15, works with student Leah Bender in an adaptive swim program Reese created for children with special needs. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle