Welcome to the Benjamin Banneker School Playground Website!
Build Date: February 13, 2007
Welcome to our home page!
A new playground will have a tremendous impact on the students at Banneker Elementary School. Students at the elementary school lack safe places to play. The only accessible playground, located in Audubon Park, is a little less than one mile away, but Banneker students do not typically play there because parents must provide supervision, and a majority of the students no longer reside in the neighborhood. Nearby parks do not have playground equipment, and FEMA trailers now occupy the space. A new playground “will provide a child the opportunity to be a child, just having fun alone or with others.”
In addition to providing students with a safe haven to play, new playground equipment “will give children opportunities for exploring, practicing, and learning skills that address not only their motor needs but their cognitive, social, and communication skills as well.” The physical education staff will be able to teach various skills, such as climbing, swinging, pulls, and lifts; and, classroom teachers will have opportunities to plan outdoor activities that improve children’s emotional and mental development.
Community Support
Staff members at Benjamin Banneker school are confident they can recruit 150 volunteers to participate in a playground build day. Community members have been active participants at the elementary school; and at present, 100 college students from three universities volunteer their time each week to tutor Banneker Elementary students in subjects such as reading, math, and art. Approximately 30-40 community members participate in the Reading Buddies Program, and the school is very involved with the Big Brothers and Sisters program. The neighborhood is also involved in special school projects such as construction work and special repairs, donations of dictionaries, and other outdoor projects. The Rotary and Kiwanis clubs would also participate in a playground build project.