Eighth-graders will help build Peter Pan playground
By Bobbi Mlynar
Originally published 01:29 p.m., March 6, 2008
Updated 01:29 p.m., March 6, 2008
Parents will have an opportunity to work shoulder-to-shoulder with their children when eighth-graders perform community service on the Peter Pan Park project.
The Emporia Middle School students, all enrolled in Sunnin Keosybounheuang’s health and wellness classes, will work for two hours on May 1 and May 2 to fulfill the community service portion of the district’s health curriculum.
“It’s advocating for community health, one of our standards,” Keosybounheuang said. “They cringe every time they hear the words ‘community service,’ and I just want them to have a good feel for it. ... I want them to know how good it feels to give.”
The students will be bused to the park for two hours each morning, then brought back to school for lunch.
Permission slips have been sent home with the students, and the slips have a section for parents, too.
“If they want to join their student, they can sign up for it,” Keosybounheuang said.
Building the playground improvements at Peter Pan is expected to be done as a community effort, with construction workers and other volunteers helping to pull the project together for children and families to enjoy. The project has been led by Mike Dorcey and Eric Tincher, along with several other members of the Leadership Emporia Class of 2004.
That committee has been able to get grants and other donations, including a pledge from the city, to purchase equipment for the project. Members also have sold T-shirts, picket fence slats that can be inscribed, hand-print blocks and other items to raise money.
The committee continues to accept donations, and needs workers for the building blitz May 1 through 4. More information may be had by calling Leadership Emporia class member Robin Nelson, 342-1600.