Inclusive Playground Coming to Swenke Elementary

Submitted by Nick Leluika, Swenke Special Projects Coordinator

With the closing of the school year 2022, as the PTO Special Projects Coordinator, I announced the kickoff of an incredible Legacy Project that is currently in the works. The project is an inclusive playground, offering children of all abilities a safe place to play. The playground will be constructed on Swenke Elementary property, where love and a sense of family are undeniable. Swenke is home to children of all likes and abilities, and the project has been planned and designed as an addition to the current playground, which will benefit all students throughout our Fairfield community. It will offer a play space for children of varying abilities and will foster a place of acceptance, inclusion, and learning. Having a playground with accessible offerings such as ramps, special swings, spinning chairs, access to slides, special tables, and a wheelchair-accessible seesaw rocker (that can hold multiple kids at once) will be astounding. The new section of the playground will also have a rubberized foundation, which will create additional safety and space to play. They won't have to worry about unfavorable ground conditions on wet days. When I heard from Dr. Miller, the principal at Swenke, that an inclusive playground was being designed, I jumped at the opportunity to spearhead the fundraising, primarily since this project hits so close to home for my family. My son, Josh, will be headed into second grade this coming fall. Josh became very sick not long after being born. His body eventually went into complete septic shock, with all of his organs shutting down, eventually leading to a stroke that damaged over 50% of his brain. Doctors predicted he wouldn't live more than another 24-48 hours. Miraculously, after a few months in the ICU, Josh came home. Since then, he has had over a dozen surgeries and undergoes therapy several days a week. Josh has more diagnoses than I can even count. He is classified as non-verbal and non-motor, but he knows adaptive sign language. He either gets around in a wheelchair or is carried from place to place. Josh is our Miracle, and the best part is that he gets to go to school with other little Miracles. Each of his classmates has a unique story, and each one of them has a great spirit just waiting to be shared. I feel like we aren't on this journey alone for the first time. It is heartwarming that people care enough to help these incredible kids be included rather than left on the outside looking in. I know that Josh loves going to Swenke and loves the other kids and the staff. I'm dedicated to seeing this project through, especially knowing that the school has gone out of its way to make this project a reality. I look at things from a different perspective as I work to see the world through my child's eyes. For Josh and his friends, interaction with their classmates makes all the difference. And in the past, when it comes to playing outside, they have had limited options based on their abilities.