Shepherd Elementary students gained a little more than just a playground at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning.
They were taught a real-life lesson in teamwork.
As the north Mooresville school unveiled its new playground equipment – which students have been utilizing for several weeks – Shepherd Elementary and Iredell-Statesville Schools officials touted the collaborative efforts of the district, parents and corporate sponsor Lowe's to create the project.
Noting that the playground would not have been possible without the monetary contributions of all three, I-SS Interim Supt. Brady Johnson told the audience of students that the new play area serves as "a lesson that you can accomplish a whole lot more when people come together and work together."
With huge growth anticipated for the coming years at Shepherd Elementary, former Parent Teacher Organization president Melissa Forsyth – who helped jumpstart the project in the 2008-09 school year – said the school's older playground was not sufficient for the larger student body.
Not only did the older play area require more maintenance, including regular sweeping of the mulch surrounding it, but the jungle gym wasn't handicap accessible, said Forsyth, and left several kids without a place to enjoy their recess time.
The new playground, she added, will provide a larger space for the hundreds of kids who may play outside each day. With an artificial turf resting underneath the new equipment, Forsyth noted that the area is both better for maintenance and safer for children, including her own fifth grade daughter.
"She loves it," said Forsyth.
Under Forsyth last school year, Shepherd's PTO raised nearly $13,000 toward the construction project through family movie nights, the sale of attraction coupon books and several other activities.
Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation provided $16,000 in grant monies, which was matched by I-SS. The approximate $45,000 total erected new playground equipment – bright and colorful, and equipped with slides and a variety of climbing apparatuses – and landscaped the play areas for students.
Saying that the contributions from Lowe's and I-SS was "the only way we were able to do it," Forsyth said the expanded school – which grew by 23 classrooms this summer – and its new playground can now adequately handle the anticipated growth in the coming years.
Principal Julia Stikeleather agreed, calling the new playground "fabulous" and noting that the play area can further encourage physical activity among students.
She added, "The kids really enjoy it and can be more physically active when they come out here for recess."
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