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Somerset Elementary School is building an inclusive playground this summer. The $300,000 project was planned to extend into 2025, but thanks to a $200,000 anonymous donation, the playground will be completed in time for the upcoming school year.
“Our aim at Somerset is to be inclusive of all our students and ensure they feel like they belong,” said Somerset Principal Libby Huettl. “We’ve created ways to do that inside, but when we go outside for recess, many students with physical and cognitive disabilities aren’t able to access our playground. This new playground helps those students feel included, seen, and supported by their community.”
According to the PTO’s fundraising site, they’ve raised more than $380,000.
What Will It Look Like?
Somerset students could vote on the final product, and many alterations were made to the 20-year-old playground.
Complete with rubberized flooring, wheelchair ramps, and in-ground merry-go-rounds, the new playground will make it easier for students with physical disabilities to utilize its amenities. Additionally, sensory stations and a communication board are included in the construction to support students with cognitive disabilities.
Somerset will join the four other schools in Minnesota with fully accessible playgrounds, becoming only the fifth in the entire state:
- Alice B. Smith Elementary School — Hopkins
- Bridgeview School — St. Paul
- Cornelia Elementary School — Edina
- Halverson Elementary — Albert Lea
Volunteer Opportunities
To have everything completed in time for school, Somerset is calling on community members to aid in the construction of the playground. They are asking for five to seven volunteers to work the full installation for the community build. It begins July 31 and runs until completion, as late as August 3.
There are plenty of opportunities available for those unable to make a multi-day commitment as well. See the full list of positions and sign up here.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new playground is planned for Wednesday, August 28, at 3:30 p.m., just before Somerset’s annual family meet and greet.
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