New Pavilion Offers Outdoor Learning At Harrison
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
And it’s all thanks to retired fourth-grade teacher Judy Kinsey, Lowe’s, local businesses, students, parents and grandparents.
An open house for Kinsey – who retired last year but didn’t want to have a retirement party until the pavilion was ready – and the pavilion’s dedication were held Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m.
According to Kinsey, Harrison was awarded a $5,000 grant from Lowe’s last year to build a pavilion near the Hoosier Heritage Schoolhouse on the school’s campus. The pavilion is a 20-foot by 24-foot open-air structure with a metal roof and a concrete slab.
The pavilion allows for Harrison to expand its outdoor learning opportunities by providing a sheltered outdoor classroom, she said.
“Several classes from other schools visited the schoolhouse this year, and our goal is to improve the learning environment so that more Warsaw Community Schools students can utilize our facilities,” Kinsey said. “This pavilion will likely become the classroom for our Environmental Club that meets weekly after school. Additionally, we will utilize this structure at PTO social events throughout the year.”
The schoolhouse was relocated to Harrison’s 40-acre campus a number of years ago. The campus grew to include a greenhouse and fitness trail. Last year, the Environmental Club spearheaded the construction of a 20-foot by 20-foot fire pit.
The pavilion will allow Harrison to expand its programs like history, science, nutrition, nature, culture and gardening, Kinsey said, as well as help students grow character and build community.
Kinsey wrote the grant to Lowe’s.
Robert Hackworth, Lowe’s assistant store manager, said, “It’s Lowe’s belief in being a part of the community; especially any kind of educational help Lowe’s can provide, we will. We love this community and it’s a good way for us to give back.”
He said Lowe’s awards one grant a year per community. The grant amount varies.
“We just have a form that has to be filled out and it’s sent to the corporate level. At the store level, we do have some input into it,” Hackworth said.
Steve Conrad said Kuert Concrete provided about seven yards of concrete for the floor. J.C. Stookey said Heiman Construction donated the concrete work.
Harrison parents like Duane Alexander, Mike South, Kraig Clemons and Sharon Beeler donated their time to help build the pavilion.
Lee Snider, Harrison principal, conservatively estimated it took 20 hours to build the pavilion.
Clemons said North Central Co-Op provided a crane truck, which Jeff Bonnell used to help build the pavilion. Bonnell is Clemons’ stepfather. His father, Brad Clemons, also helped build the pavilion.
“They’ve done a lot,” Kraig Clemons said of the finished pavilion. “It looks real nice.”
“The exciting part is to just inspire kids to love outdoor learning and love the environment,” Snider said. “It gives students the opportunity to connect to history ... On behalf of Harrison and Warsaw Community Schools, I just want to thank all these business partners for enriching the lives of our students.”
Warsaw School Board Secretary and former Harrison Principal Randy Polston said, “The Hoosier Heritage Living History Corner continues to grow and offer students the opportunity to take a step back in time due to the leadership of Lee Snider and the passion of teachers like Judy Kinsey and Deb McClintock. On behalf of the Warsaw School Board, I want to thank Judy and everyone that donated to the completion of the pavilion that will be put to good use by all visitors to the Living History Corner at Harrison. An old African proverb said, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ This is another example of ‘the village’ coming together to enrich the lives of children.”
Mike Kinsey, Judy’s husband, said he helped her with grant writing and helped students lay out the pavilion’s corners.
“It’s a nice facility. She really likes the schoolhouse. That’s the draw for her,” he said.
Additional donations are being sought to purchase picnic tables for the pavilion.
Under the sunny and warm sky Thursday, Judy Kinsey said, “It’s beautiful. Today is a perfect example of ‘Why a pavilion?’”[[In-content Ad]]
And it’s all thanks to retired fourth-grade teacher Judy Kinsey, Lowe’s, local businesses, students, parents and grandparents.
An open house for Kinsey – who retired last year but didn’t want to have a retirement party until the pavilion was ready – and the pavilion’s dedication were held Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m.
According to Kinsey, Harrison was awarded a $5,000 grant from Lowe’s last year to build a pavilion near the Hoosier Heritage Schoolhouse on the school’s campus. The pavilion is a 20-foot by 24-foot open-air structure with a metal roof and a concrete slab.
The pavilion allows for Harrison to expand its outdoor learning opportunities by providing a sheltered outdoor classroom, she said.
“Several classes from other schools visited the schoolhouse this year, and our goal is to improve the learning environment so that more Warsaw Community Schools students can utilize our facilities,” Kinsey said. “This pavilion will likely become the classroom for our Environmental Club that meets weekly after school. Additionally, we will utilize this structure at PTO social events throughout the year.”
The schoolhouse was relocated to Harrison’s 40-acre campus a number of years ago. The campus grew to include a greenhouse and fitness trail. Last year, the Environmental Club spearheaded the construction of a 20-foot by 20-foot fire pit.
The pavilion will allow Harrison to expand its programs like history, science, nutrition, nature, culture and gardening, Kinsey said, as well as help students grow character and build community.
Kinsey wrote the grant to Lowe’s.
Robert Hackworth, Lowe’s assistant store manager, said, “It’s Lowe’s belief in being a part of the community; especially any kind of educational help Lowe’s can provide, we will. We love this community and it’s a good way for us to give back.”
He said Lowe’s awards one grant a year per community. The grant amount varies.
“We just have a form that has to be filled out and it’s sent to the corporate level. At the store level, we do have some input into it,” Hackworth said.
Steve Conrad said Kuert Concrete provided about seven yards of concrete for the floor. J.C. Stookey said Heiman Construction donated the concrete work.
Harrison parents like Duane Alexander, Mike South, Kraig Clemons and Sharon Beeler donated their time to help build the pavilion.
Lee Snider, Harrison principal, conservatively estimated it took 20 hours to build the pavilion.
Clemons said North Central Co-Op provided a crane truck, which Jeff Bonnell used to help build the pavilion. Bonnell is Clemons’ stepfather. His father, Brad Clemons, also helped build the pavilion.
“They’ve done a lot,” Kraig Clemons said of the finished pavilion. “It looks real nice.”
“The exciting part is to just inspire kids to love outdoor learning and love the environment,” Snider said. “It gives students the opportunity to connect to history ... On behalf of Harrison and Warsaw Community Schools, I just want to thank all these business partners for enriching the lives of our students.”
Warsaw School Board Secretary and former Harrison Principal Randy Polston said, “The Hoosier Heritage Living History Corner continues to grow and offer students the opportunity to take a step back in time due to the leadership of Lee Snider and the passion of teachers like Judy Kinsey and Deb McClintock. On behalf of the Warsaw School Board, I want to thank Judy and everyone that donated to the completion of the pavilion that will be put to good use by all visitors to the Living History Corner at Harrison. An old African proverb said, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ This is another example of ‘the village’ coming together to enrich the lives of children.”
Mike Kinsey, Judy’s husband, said he helped her with grant writing and helped students lay out the pavilion’s corners.
“It’s a nice facility. She really likes the schoolhouse. That’s the draw for her,” he said.
Additional donations are being sought to purchase picnic tables for the pavilion.
Under the sunny and warm sky Thursday, Judy Kinsey said, “It’s beautiful. Today is a perfect example of ‘Why a pavilion?’”[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092