It鈥檚 not easy to make the snap decision to save someone鈥檚 life.

But for nine-year-old Alexis Edall, she didn鈥檛 think twice.

She didn鈥檛 hesitate when she saw a toddler had fallen in a backyard pool and dove in to save her.

On Wednesday, July 26, she received an award of recognition for using the skills she recently learned in the YMCA spring break aquatic seal camp to save the toddler鈥檚 life.

鈥淲hen I was six years old, I just wanted to get better at swimming,鈥� she said, when asked why she decided to start swimming lessons. 鈥淚鈥檓 good at swimming but I can always get better.鈥�

Her favourite position is the front stroke and she keeps the idea of becoming a lifeguard in the back of her mind.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not often you hear about children saving other children, which is what makes Alexis so special,鈥� said Robyn MacNeill aquatic manager for YMCA Central Okanagan.

Teaching kids how to swim is important, especially at a young age.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here in the Okanagan and we鈥檙e surrounded by water everywhere we go,鈥� said MacNeill. 鈥淜ids are exposed to the water all the time so it鈥檚 important that they鈥檙e able to save themselves and others.鈥�

to all Grade 3 and 4 students in School District #23.

鈥淭hey come for three weeks for an hour each week and learn live-saving skills so through this program we can drown proof the Okanagan,鈥� said MacNeill.

The program has been running for five years.