AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The third annual Splash Summit takes place Saturday at the Augusta Kroc Center through the Izzy Scott Foundation.

The foundation was created after 4-year-old Izzy Scott drowned during a swim lesson in Burke County nearly four years ago.

Since then, more than 700 people have received swim lessons in two years. The Izzy Scott Foundation is looking to get more than 1,000 people by the end of summer in swim lessons.

The Salvation Army Kroc Center has partnered with the foundation each year. Last year, the Kroc Center provided nearly 160 swim lessons through the foundation.

The summit is from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. People can sign up for free swim lessons at the event.

Aiken swim lessons

In Aiken, starting Monday, May 5, people can sign up for swim lessons. The lessons will be one-week sessions for kids with adults having two-week sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

It will cost $30 per session and registration will be at the Smith-Hazel Recreation Center. People also can register online with applications available for scholarships to help with the costs.

Swim lessons start June 1.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta University students will pay more for tuition, housing and meal plans.

The increases apply to both full-time and part-time students.

Georgia’s first need-based scholarship will become available and could help ease the burden for families.

Esperanza Lorenzo Martinez, a junior kinesiology major and first-generation student, said costs add up beyond tuition.

“It’ll still add up, especially like there’s so many things that they add on situation costs, like the lab fees and like, it might be maybe like $30, but you add that with maybe you’re taking like 5, six classes, then that adds up to maybe like 300, $400,” Martinez said.

Kyle Parsons, director of student financial aid and scholarships, said students have different paths depending on what aid they qualify for.

“For many students, that path is going to look different depending on what types of aid they may qualify for, whether that’s a need-based source of fund, a scholarship, or a state or federal grant,” Parsons said. “One of the biggest opportunities is for students to qualify for the Hope Scholarship or Zell Miller Scholarship.”

Rihanna McGahee, a senior communications major, said scholarships can help with tuition but the balance shifts.

“Even though we have scholarships that we can apply for, it can be used for tuition, but we could also lose money while gaining money at the same time,” McGahee said.

Omariaon Butts, a criminal justice major and intern with Augusta University Police Department, said the increase could affect students without scholarships.

“I think I would be more concerned for the ones who didn’t and they had to pull out a bunch of loans or maybe pay out of pocket and now it’s got to be extra,” Butts said.

Parsons said the university wants to help students navigate the increases.

“We want to make sure that they understand that there is a path forward, that just because something increases doesn’t mean that we can’t help offset that somewhere else,” Parsons said. “We want to make sure that students are set up for success, that they’re in a position to be able to focus on their academics and not on the financial barriers that stand in front of them.”

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) – Crews on Friday afternoon rushed to the scene of a large brush fire off Interstate 520.

Officials said the fire was reported around 1 p.m. and moving quickly because of the wind.

By 2:30 p.m., it covered 12 acres.

North Augusta crews were assisted by Belvedere, Midland Valley, Beech Island, Sage Mill and Merriwether firefighters.

Eastbound I-520 was shut down at Belvedere Clearwater Road after the fire broke out around 1 p.m.

One lane reopened around 2:30 p.m.

Five bulldozers were sent to the scene as well as two planes.

Starting around 2:55 p.m., the planes began repeatedly dumping water on the fire.

PHOTO GALLERY: NORTH AUGUSTA BRUSH FIRE

The fire was 70% contained at that time, and the situation only got better as the afternoon went on.

However, officials said it’s expected to burn for several days.

And that means the air will have smoke in it.

“You know, if you’ve got some kind of allergies that you don’t want to be breathing it, I would suggest you stay inside, keep your windows up at your house and just do anything you can to keep from getting involved with it,” said Lt. Allen C. Swann with the North Augusta Department of Public Safety.

He said the situation could have been much worse.

“You know, we train for all kinds of fires, so we got here quick,” he said.

“We’ve got a great outcome. No structures burned.”

It was a challenge because the fire was on a ridge.

“You know, safety-wise with firetrucks and firefighters on the interstate with cars coming by, that’s why we shut the interstate down pretty quick,” he said.

“We don’t want one of us getting hit and then have to worry about that on top of dealing with the fire.”

Nearby Highland Springs Middle School and Belvedere Elementary dismissed students early from school.

Parents who drive their kids to school were asked to come get their children. Buses were taking the other kids home.

All after-school activities were canceled.