Building a playground for all
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” — Aesop
One person can define his or her existential purpose by giving to one who needs a gift. Think for a moment, how one act of love, one devoted testament of benevolent offering might make an incredibly positive change in this world.
One suffering, one lacking the physical or mental ability to fully participate in this world might find complete and joyous happiness by the gift of inclusion — the gift to join the world.
Imagine a child in a wheelchair or a child with physical limitations sitting on the corner of a playground watching other children swing, run, dance and giggle — a child incapable of playing with other children due to the physical limitations of the playground and the debilitating limitations of his or her body.
A child does not choose to have a disability. A child does not choose to be physically immobile but the child is still a child, with the same craving for play, the need for interaction with other children, the same desire to be happy and the need to dance and giggle. You can help make this need a reality but first, some history.
Pam Kiefer, the Advanced Learning Program (ALP) teacher at Fernan STEM Academy in Coeur d’Alene, wrote a grant to help her students understand and empathize with students with special needs. In her grant, students buddy-up with Life Skills students at Fernan and cooperatively learn together. Students read together, share each other’s classrooms and learn together — but when the students attempt to play together, they realize there is a barrier. The students with special needs can’t access the playground equipment.
The ALP students are visibly and emotionally concerned by the lack of accessibility for their new friends. These amazing children, viewing no boundaries, no limitations and no doubt, decide to build a playground for children with disabilities. With the help of their teacher, and Susie Brott, Fernan’s life skills teacher, the children begin to dream of the perfect playground for a child with a disability and name the playground, a “Playground For All.” Now the work begins.
Jon Mueller from Architects West Inc., volunteers his time weekly working with the ALP students to design a viable playground to meet the children’s needs. He teaches the students about pitch, rate of slope, ADA standards, accessibility and aesthetics.
Jon turns a social philanthropic project into a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) classroom project. Students learn to estimate square footage, calculate the amount of asphalt needed for the path, determine how large the outdoor classrooms need to be and how steep the slope of the path can be to ensure easy access by wheelchairs.
The students meet with numerous stakeholders including the city Planning and Zoning Department, North Idaho Builder’s Association and the school district Board of Trustees, ensuring the project is viable and doable. The green light is given by the Board of Trustees and the project is a go.
In the audience at the Board of Trustee presentation is Rick Rasmussen, CEO at Northwest Specialty Hospital. Rick is passionately moved by the presentation and volunteers to lead the fundraising efforts of the project. A project which started out with an energetic teacher, 15 passionate students and $15,000 in grants and gifts now has raised more than $60,000 in gifts, materials and labor.
The project is managed by Chris Shelton, provided by Young Construction. Chris is amazing at bringing together resources, materials and people. To date the handicap accessible path is in, the footings for the outdoor classrooms are dug, the forms are being built, the wheelchairs swing, buddy bunches, accessible science weather station and accessible music station are delivered and the performance stage is being built. This big dream by a little class of students is becoming a reality.
The work is not done. Presently, Fernan is approximately $10,000 short of our fundraising goal. The $10,000 will pay for concrete (being supplied at-cost by Interstate Concrete), the remainder of the asphalt bill (provided at-cost by Coeur d’Alene Paving) and materials for the outdoor classrooms.
Every penny counts! If you wish to give to make this dream a reality you can send donations to Fernan STEM Academy PTA with the memo “Playground for All.” Checks can be sent to Fernan Elementary School at 520 N. 21st St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
This playground is not only for the children at Fernan, but for the community. The ALP students recognize that students and adults of all ages enjoy playing. Our gates are unlocked and accessible to the community when school is not in session.
I envision birthday parties in our outdoor classrooms, playdates at the music instruments, performances on the puppet stage and parents sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee on the buddy benches as their children play in the woods of our playground.
Being the principal at Fernan STEM Academy, I often play with students on the playground. While playing, I love to swing. I pump my feet hard trying to fly hirer than the child next to me who chuckles, laughs and squeals as we attempt to fly in our rubber seats.
I wish to give this gift of flight to all. We purchased an adult wheelchair swing to ensure everyone — age 3 to 93 — has access to this feeling. Everyone should have the opportunity to feel how I feel when I swing with kids.
I wish my grandmother was still alive to roll into our wheelchair swing and go for a flight. Grandma was a rebel who loved life. As I sit here tonight writing this column, I can envision Grandma Fowler pulling hard on the rope to propel her chair forward laughing inconsolably. I would give my life to see her today on that swing, laughing. This project matters. Help make it possible.
If you wish a tour of our playground or wish to talk about how you might support Fernan STEM Academy, please give me a call at (208) 664-2659. Thank you!
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Send comments or other suggestions to William Rutherford at bprutherford@hotmail.com or visit pensiveparenting.com.