Playlab Arrives
On August 14, the Cornerstone Playlab was dedicated, marking the opening of a project more than three years in the making.
The idea for renovating the Cornerstone playground was brought to the PTO by a group of teachers about three years ago, according to Danni Schantz, the head of the Playlab’s Executive Committee.
“We studied the problem for a year for a full year before embarking on the actual campaign. It became clear pretty quickly that we would need to rebuild and not just renovate the old space,” Schantz said.
Raising the funds for the campaign was a community effort; in addition to private donations the Cornerstone PTO and students raised money through a school-wide math-a-thon and spell-a-thon, according to Cornerstone PTO president Molly Richard.
“Cornerstone feels very lucky to be supported by our community,” Richard said.
According to Schantz, by the time the fundraising period over, a total of $630,000 was raised for the completion of the project.
The Playlab consists of much more than a traditional playground and has successfully integrated learning into the space.
“The Playlab is home to a pollinator garden, rock garden and weather station. Each space has a learning mailbox filled with educational information,” Richard said.
One portion of the Playlab, known as “Danny’s Hill,” has slides that are ADA accessible, according to Schantz.
While the Cornerstone Playlab was completed fairly recently, Schantz and Richard both note its positive effect on students and on the community.
“Since the dedication of the Playlab, it has been filled with children, not only during the school day, but also after hours and on the weekends. We love to see so many children playing,” Richard said.
As the year progresses, more events will be held on the site that will utilize its resources.
Additionally, Schantz noted that volunteer positions are available to any high school student who may be interested in getting involved.
