Annapolis Christian Academy in Corpus Christi, TX has been recognized as a Play On!National Demonstration Site.
Annapolis Christian Academy (ACA) moved to their current campus in 2010. While the campus had an existing playground that, over the years has served students at the school, it soon became outdated. The playground also started to break down due to the Texas Gulf Coast environment and how hard is on outdoor structures.
“Because we are a school, safety is always on the forefront of our minds. It is critical that children are safe when left in our care on a daily basis and we take that responsibility very seriously. Our goal at Annapolis is to provide the best educational experience possible and we focus on educating the whole child. There has been new and exciting research done that tells us more about how certain components play an integral part in how children develop multiple skills though free play,” shares Anne Thurwalker, Director of Development.
With the new playground, the school put a lot of thought into the strategic planning of placement and design of the overall play space. The new structure was placed in an area that has lots of green space and will soon have basketball courts nearby. It is also part of a multi-million dollar expansion which will include a new high school.
“Building community and relationships are very important for ACA. Our playground is such an important component in accomplishing those things. It also encourages the health and wellbeing of our students. Having the new playground with various play components means that there is something for every child to do. That brings a sense of belonging to children when you can offer things that meet their individual needs,” shares Thurwalker.
Annapolis Christian Academy is celebrating their new playground with a grand opening on Monday, February 4, 2019.
PlayCore recognizes Annapolis Christian Academy as Play On! National Demonstration Site following the research and programming of the Play On! Program, designed by PlayCore in partnership with SHAPE America, as they promote physical activity through the six elements of play to create developmentally appropriate challenges and fun for all. To continue to celebrate Annapolis Christian Academy’s commitment to advancing play and recreation through best practices, the schools will receive a certificate of recognition, become a part of a network of potential research sites, and will be promoted actively to other communities wishing to create recreation spaces using design and/or programming.
