PHOTO GALLERY: Volunteers finish work on nature play area at Derby Ridge Elementary
The Nature Play Area project at Derby Ridge Elementary resumed and finished Thursday. It used to be a lawn, but now it has been developed into a recreational area for students. This area contains a seesaw, log cabin and balance beam. About 20 volunteers arrived to help. Organizer Mike Szydlowski said the project was disrupted due to COVID-19, but he's glad so many people came together to build it today. This is the third nature play area project after Fairview Elementary School and Benton Elementary School. Columbia Public Schools Science Department organized the event.
Julian Schmidt, 15 uses a level to check if the log is balanced on Thursday at Derby Ridge Elementary
Julian Schmidt, 15, uses a level to check if a log is balanced Thursday at Derby Ridge Elementary. “I like it because old kids can also play here,” Schmidt said. For further coverage, see Page 4A.
Doug Shinn uses a circular saw to saw strips of wood into blocks
Doug Shinn uses a circular saw to cut 2-by-4 boards in order to build balance logs Thursday at Derby Ridge Elementary School. All the equipment and tools were brought by volunteers or donated.
Matt Wightman paints the seesaw with his son on Thursday,
Matt Wightman paints the seesaw with his son Thursday. This area was planned to be built before spring break, but the project was disrupted because of COVID-19.
Volunteers build the nature play area on Thursday at Derby Ridge Elementary.
Volunteers build the nature play area Thursday at Derby Ridge Elementary. Around 20 volunteers came to the school to build the nature play area Thursday morning.
Denniel Webb, 15, paints tires on Thursday at Derby Ridge Elementary
Denniel Webb, 15, paints tires Thursday at Derby Ridge Elementary. He says he did some painting work before this project and he enjoys it a lot.
Doug Shinn, on the right, assembles the various wood blocks together into balance
Doug Shinn, on the right, assembles the various wood blocks together into balance logs with Gabriel, 11, and Julian Schmidt, 15, on Thursday at Derby Ridge Elementary.
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Zuofei Li
Zuofei Zephyrus Li, a Chinese journalism graduate student in Missouri School of Journalism. Contact me: zuofeili@mail.missouri.edu
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Kate Seaman
Assistant Director of Photography, Staff Photo Editor Spring 2020, Staff Photographer Summer 2019, Education Reporter Fall 2019, Reach me at seamank7@gmail.com or in the newsroom at (573) 882-1690
