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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Students at Meadow View Elementary now have a new adaptive playground to enjoy that is accessible to everyone thanks to the efforts of staff and generous grant awards.

“We are so excited about the new adaptive playground, and it has been so rewarding to drive by and see all peers playing together on the new playground,” said Merry Grace Harper, occupational therapist for Alabaster City Schools. “I’ve also gotten several text messages throughout the day that our kids are enjoying the moving piece of the playground.”

In 2023, Harper, Occupational Therapist Kapi Farrell and Physical Therapist Chandler Kunka discussed the ability of some students to access the MVES playground. With a dream for a new play structure accessible to all students, they initially applied for a grant but did not receive it which served as a learning experience.

“With the encouragement of ACS Chief Operations Officer Dr. Jeff Atkins, we did not give up,” Harper said.

The school applied for the Be Healthy School Grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield and was successful—receiving $10,000 and making their dream of an adaptive playground one step closer to becoming reality.

MVES was one of 36 schools statewide to receive the grant and is the only one located in Shelby County to receive the grant. The grants are used to implement school-based health and wellness programs and to emphasize increased exercise, nutrition, education and parental involvement during the school year.

After receiving the Be Healthy School Grant, MVES decided to explore adding an additional single playground piece.

“At the end of 2024 we applied for the Shelby County Parks and Rec grant with the hopes of (installing) the larger play structure,” Harper said. “We were awarded this grant money as well. Our Board of Education was also vital in making this dream come true through its financial contributions.”

The new adaptive playground is surrounded by a turfed surface with a ramped entrance which enables all children to access the playground. Students with walkers or wheel chairs can easily access the playground and the stairs to the slides have handrails so they can safely climb.

“As an occupational therapist our goal is to make sure our kids can engage in their occupations,” Harper said. “A child’s primary occupation is play and learning in school. For our children to be ready to learn we must meet their physical movement needs. By having this playground this need is being met so that our students can be better learners.”

With the new adaptive playground installed, those who helped make the project a reality can look on in satisfaction as students excitedly use their new play space.

“I would like to thank our Board of Education, (Superintendent) Dr. (Wayne) Vickers and most of all our teachers that listened to me brainstorm, read over grant submissions and encouraged me to keep pursuing this project for the benefit of our students,” Harper said.