By the Students, for the Students
Students at Johnston Elementary School in Irving, Texas have three new play areas thanks to a partnership between Irving ISD and the City of Irving. The City is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into playground improvement projects. These playgrounds at Johnston Elementary School will provide opportunities for students to be more active during the school day and offer play and recreation time for nearby residents when school is out.
Each of the play areas was designed for specific age groups and the equipment was selected by members of the Johnston Elementary Student Council. The student designers were on hand for the ribbon-cutting on February 26, 2019 and offered some thoughts on the new playground in a video released by ICTN.
Helping to design the playground took a lot of time for the student council, but it's a legacy they can leave behind for future children who will play here. "Through this journey, we learned patience and a masterpiece takes time,” said fifth-grader Cypress Drake. Stephen Pollard, Johnston Elementary Principal, enjoyed observing the students work on the project. He said, "It was eye-opening. They discussed a lot of options, but decided on a nature theme. They really liked areas for climbing." The process was also important to teach a lesson about civic involvement. "This was the starting point for students to learn how to have an impact on their city," said Joe Moses, Director of Irving Parks and Recreation.
The new playgrounds were installed by Total Recreation Products, GameTime's exclusive representative in Texas, and include poured rubber safety surfacing, integrated shade to keep the play area cooler, lots of climbers and slides, and a unique nature-themed style the students love.
