A major project at The School for Agricultural & Environmental Studies (SAGES), Waupun Area School District’s project-based, public charter school is making major headway.
According to a media release, “this project was initiated back in 2015 by a team of SAGES 5th graders, who will now be entering 11th grade at the Waupun Area Jr/Sr High School this fall. Despite a variety of delays and uncertainty, SAGES’ staff, learners, and their families never gave up hope. With an overwhelming desire to see their playground improved, a team of 2019-20 SAGES’ 5th graders re-launched this “legacy” project.
In December 2019, SAGES teamed up with GRG Playscapes of Milwaukee, landscape architects and nature-based play revolutionists, to TRANSFORM their current playground into a “Living Schoolyard” — an outdoor nature-based play/learning environment promoting physical activity, imaginative play, healthy risk-taking, connections to nature, and a sense of community!
Led by this team of 5th graders, SAGES’ learners shared their hopes and dreams for their outdoor learning and play space; they wanted places to climb, jump, and explore! Plus, they wanted natural materials like stumps, branches, and boulders, as well as repurposed materials like tractor tires used in the build. GRG Playscapes took those ideas and developed a design plan capturing all that was wanted and more! With the plans features totaling more than $60,000, SAGES is extremely grateful to many community individuals, businesses, and organizations for their generous monetary gifts and support in the form of donations of time, talent, and services. Without that support, our “Living Schoolyard” project wouldn’t be as dynamic or be becoming a reality in the days ahead.
jjohnson09 says
This is so awesome for SAGES!!