FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Work has been completed on the first phase of a playground at the C. Richard Applegate Elementary School that will become a place where children of all ability levels can play together.
A ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the completion of the first phase of work at the Our Place 2 Play playground was held at the school on June 12. Our Place 2 Play is the second all-inclusive playground in Freehold Township and the first in the Freehold Township K-8 School District.
The playground has wheelchair accessible equipment, interconnected slides and a mix of challenging and easily accessible equipment for youngsters, according to school staff.
Additional phases will see the installation of music panels, a seated cup spinner, a Braille panel, a swing set and a rubber surface.
“The fact that not all lessons are taught in the classroom was certainly in evidence when the Our Place 2 Play playground was dedicated at Applegate,” Mayor Barbara McMorrow said. “Through the combined efforts of the school community and members of the community at large, one person’s vision became a reality for all of the children who couldn’t wait for the ribbon to be cut so the playing could begin. It was a magical moment that brought joy to everyone’s heart as we watched children of all abilities playing together on a beautiful sunny afternoon at their new playground.”
Principal Brad Millaway credited the inception of Our Place 2 Play to Suzanne Caracappa, a physical therapist at the school.
“I am so thrilled Phase 1 … is being enjoyed daily by all of our students,” Millaway said. “This new inclusive playground, where students of all abilities can play together, began with the vision of one very caring and determined individual, Suzanne Caracappa, who is one of Applegate’s physical therapists. It has been her vision and the unwavering commitment of our parents, staff and students that has allowed this new playground to become a reality.”
“The Our Place 2 Place committee members, led by Debbie Campbell and Kerry Vendittoli, have worked tirelessly to plan and run a variety of fundraisers and special events to help fund the new playground,” he said. “In addition, the school district and our Board of Education generously contributed to the completion of Phase 1 and were instrumental in making this new inclusive playground a reality for our students. We have also had some very generous and entrepreneurial students come up with creative ideas to raise and donate funds to the playground.”
At the ribbon cutting, Caracappa spoke about her inspiration for the playground and the events that led to its creation.
“As one of the physical therapists in the district and servicing the Applegate school, I wanted to try to meet a need and enhance opportunities for inclusion and accessibility on the playground,” she said. “Our district’s special education program is truly outstanding and I felt this would only enhance it for students of all abilities to be able to play together.
“Too many students were not able to play on the playground due to medical restrictions, equipment that was not accessible to them, equipment that was not engaging to them or did not fulfill a need such as a sensory need, or simply experienced the playground as a place that was just too over-stimulating and less inviting for safe play,” she said.
Caracappa described how Our Place 2 Play began when she emailed then-Principal Becky Montgomery in October 2014 about a request for regular sling swings with adapted swings. Montgomery ultimately supported the request and it turned into a plan to pursue Caracappa’s vision of an inclusive playground.
For their roles in helping to create Our Place 2 Play, Caracappa thanked Millaway, Montgomery, organization members Campbell, Vendittoli and Michaela Lamp, Applegate supervisor Katie Harms, Director of Educational Services Robyn Klim, Business Administrator Robert DeVita, Superintendent of Schools Neal Dickstein, and students, staff and parents of Applegate and the district.
She also thanked Brett Greenfield for technical support, Michael Hertzler of George Ely Associates and Playworld for helping to design the playground, and Whirl Construction for installing the first phase.
Funding for the playground came from many sources, including fundraising events at Freehold Township schools; a donation from the Graeme Preston Foundation; the William Setaro Building Blocks for Education Grant Award; a donation provided by the CentraState Medical Center Rehabilitation Department, led by Brian Mason, the clinical director of rehabilitative services; Applegate physical education teacher Ryan Eichner, who turned Jump Rope for Heart into Jump Rope to Play, with the Gerula family becoming the top fundraisers for the event; the Reynolds family, which provided a partnership with the M4D3 custom shoe company that sponsored a significant donation to the playground; and autism awareness events.
Caracappa made particular note of support the playground received from pupils.
“Perhaps the most sincere moments were when this generosity and kindness continued to spread right down to our students this year,” Caracappa said. “A first grade student went home and took the initiative to organize his own sale of Post-It Note drawings that he made along with other friends who stepped up to help. A fourth grade student selflessly donated the proceeds from his sales at a PTO sponsored marketplace event that focused on inspiring young entrepreneurs.”
Caracappa also recognized the Board of Education and district administrators for approving funds for the Phase 1 equipment.
State Sen. Vin Gopal stated at the ribbon cutting that he, Assemblywoman Joann Downey and Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling (all D-Monmouth) would be pledging $25,100 toward Our Place 2 Play.
“This (playground) design has something for everyone,” Caracappa said. “It will create a foundation for inclusiveness and acceptance outside of our school walls among all of our students, create opportunities to socialize together and provide accessibility for safe play, movement and sensory needs of all students.
“We live in a time where genuine free play time is limited, but one thing I know as a physical therapist is that research supports movement is what helps us to learn and to develop from infancy through childhood. As our mission states, all kids love to play and deserve the opportunity to do so, together, no matter what their age or ability.
“Students have been using the new playground since mid-May, as we couldn’t hold off until today,” Caracappa said. “The feedback has been great. The students are enjoying and loving it. In this short time, I have witnessed more accessibility and inclusiveness than I have in the past and it’s not even finished yet.”
