At the Cornwall-on-Hudson Elementary School, amazing things happened this spring. The weekend of Saturday, April 28, and Sunday, April 29, was deemed “Build Weekend” by a group of local parents who succeeded to motivate an entire community to come together for a great cause – to rebuild the aging playground behind the school and make it accessible and inclusive for everyone.
SKS students using their muscles to carry a bag of cement
Following over two years of planning and much anticipation by Cornwall residents, the COH Playground Project was completed when over 200 volunteers worked in shifts to erect the new playground equipment, help serve food, and entertain kids. Among them were 13 students from Storm King who pitched in to lend a helping hand.
Jon Tetik ’18 and Toby Akingbade ’19 assembling part of the bridge
The project was the brainchild of Christy Larkin and Rana Liebert, two Cornwall parents whose children attend the elementary school. Their mission was to update the playground itself, while at the same time, improving the quality of life for those with disabilities by making it ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. With its new features such as ramps and platforms for wheelchair access and a wheelchair friendly surface, the playground can be accessed and enjoyed by everyone.
Storm King student Braulio Ferreira ’18 spreading surface material
The Storm King students, who often volunteer to help their community, got right into to the groove during their afternoon shift on Sunday. They helped with setting up the playground equipment, served food, and befriended many of the other volunteers who were working that afternoon.
Storm King student Jon Tetik ’18 and Cornwall-on-Hudson resident Dominic Cordisco bonding over film techniques
Christy Larkin, who is one of the event’s organizers, was very grateful for the students’ help. “We were blown away by the work ethic and enthusiasm of these young men and women. They were such a pleasure to have at our build and it was awesome to see their desire to help the community,” she explained.
Toby and Braulio working on the bridge