Here's a chance to see the boys and girls who are being groomed to keep beaches safe and to save lives.

It's the 2008 State Junior Lifeguard Championships, which take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ala Moana Beach Park. The event is being hosted by the City and County of Honolulu's Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division.

The competition will be held at the Ewa end of Ala Moana Beach Park.

There is no charge for the event. It is open to the public.

More than 200 junior lifeguards from around the state will be competing in five events throughout the day: 1000-meter beach run, beach flags, run-swim-run, paddleboard relay and a 200-meter swim. Teams from Oahu's five program sites, as well as those from the neighbor islands, will be showcasing skills learned during the summer program and competing in individual and team events in two age divisions, 13-14 and 15-17.

"I think the popularity and success of the City's Junior Lifeguard Program speak volumes," said Honolulu Emergency Services Department Director Elizabeth Char, M.D. "For more than 15 years this program has not only been teaching the teens of Oahu about ocean safety but giving them a safe and productive way to spend their summer."

The City and County of Honolulu's Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division conducts the Junior Lifeguard Program with support from the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association.