Recess Project Seek to Fundraise for Accessible Playground

Seeking to build a playground that would be accessible for all students at Clarence Lobo Elementary, the school plans to host a lemonade stand Friday, Sept. 8, at the Beach Kids Therapy Center at 100 Calle Amanecer.

Participants will receive free lemonade, cookies, and popcorn in return for donating to the school’s cause. Lobo Elementary aims to raise an initial $100,000 to help fund the process of tearing down its existing playground and constructing a new, inclusive playground.

The school is partnering with The Recess Project, a new nonprofit organization aimed at creating more inclusive recess periods for schools by providing equipment, which has already committed to donating between $17,000 and $25,000 of new playground equipment.

Michelle Zeigler, a parent and PTA board member at the school who is leading the fundraising campaign, said the push began after she was introduced to another mother, Amanda Hicks. Hicks  had long desired to bring accessibility to the school’s playground but didn’t know which direction to follow.

The new facility would better serve students with special needs, within the Success Through Academic Readiness and Social Skills (STARS) and Supporting Early Academic and Language Skills (SEALS) programs at Lobo Elementary.

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