It was a joyous day in Pascagoula, MS yesterday as the teachers, parents and students at Central Elementary School finally got the new, state-of-the art playground they've been dreaming about for years.  It took patience and lots of hard work, but at the end of the day, all that was forgotten as the crowd of more than 300 students and 200 volunteers celebrated completion of the brightly colored new playground, complete with swings, climbers, slides and even a rock climbing wall!

Central Elementary School, a part of the Pascagoula School District, serves more than 300 children grades K-5.  It's been a long hard road following Hurricane Katrina for the school and surrounding community, but no obstacle was too great for Principal Stephanie Yeager and her dedicated planning committee.  After Hurricane Katrina brought four feet of water in the school building, the school lost everything.   More than 75% of the staff had their homes damaged or lost and 80% of the students had major damage or lost their homes as well.  In addition, neighboring Beach Elementary was damaged during the storms, too, and could not be repaired in time for school, so they will be housed with Central for at least two years.

Prior to Katrina, the school community already recognized the need for a new playground and had been fundraising for several years.  The existing playground, nearly 30 years old and dangerous, suffered extreme damage in the storms.  The students held many grassroots fundraisers for a new playground, including penny drives and bake sales, and managed to save $7000. After the storm, the school had to use that money to buy desks for the students.     

With Travis Outlaw of the Portland Trailblazers, and Antonio Harvey, an NBA legend and graduate of Pascagoula HS, there to lend a hand and cheer them on, volunteers from the community, sailors from the USS Mesa Verde and KIDD finished the new playground structure and Dino Dig in record time.  They also built three new benches and a shade structure, and painted four free standing murals.  The students helped too, each one painting a tile to create a mural for the school fence! 

It didn't take long for the volunteers to finish and amid a sea of silly string, Darell Hammond, CEO and co-founder, KaBOOM!, Principal Stephanie Yeager, Matt Miller, President of Playworld Systems, Clay Councill, Southern Division Community Affairs Manager for The Home Depot, Antonio Harvey and Travis Outlaw cut the board to officially dedicate the new play area.  Just one look at the smiles and excitement on the children's faces and it was clear this was a day no one would soon forget. 

Congratulations to Project Manager Jen DeMelo for a job well done and to Caleb Marshall for being a great second.

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