On Monday April 28, 2008, kindergarten student Bryce Bertler, who recently turned 6, became known as Mr. Bertler, principal of Saukville Elementary School. The one-day assignment came courtesy of Bryce’s parents, Brad and Heidi Bertler, who won the job for their son in an auction benefiting Possibility Playground, the universally accessible play area that will be built in Port Washington’s Upper Lake Park this summer. During his seven-hour tenure, Bryce didn’t have time to set new policies but did make a point of greeting students and visitors at the school.
Ozaukee Press Cover photo May 1, 2008 by Sam Arendt
Port Washington/Saukville Schools collect
$4,100 in spare change in the Coin Wars
Dunwidde Elementary Raised $1,500.
Saukville Elementary Raised $1,300,
Lincoln Elementary Raised 1,300.
How much can your school
raise in a Coin War?
Spare change adds up for playground In just four days, the students of Dunwiddie Elementary School in Port Washington showed what can happen when you challenge children to raise money for a good cause. Students donated $1,500 in spare change for Possibility Playground, a universally accessible childrens’ area to be built in Upper Lake Park this September, in a contest to see which class could raise the most money. Holding just a few of the bags of money were (front row, from left) Tanner Neahous, Keelie Schumacher, Matthew Krenke, (back row) Brianna Dawson, George Evers and Michaela Tisdale.
Photo by Bill Schanen
Chris Mathews wins essay contest
“kids like me can have fun
even with their disabilities” download PDF
When organizers of Possibility Playground held an essay contest asking children how to make Ozaukee County’s first universally accessible play area fun for kids of all abilities, they received plenty of ideas. The best suggestions, they said, came from Chris Mathews, a fourth-grader at Lincoln Elementary School in Port Washington. Chris, who is
visually impaired, wrote his essay in braille.
The $450,0000 playground will be built in
Port Washington’s Upper Lake Park this summer.
Here is what Chris wrote:
I think Possibility Playground is important because kids like me can have fun even with their disabilities. I have many ideas for equipment that would be especially fun for me but that all kids would enjoy.
My favorite idea for the playground is iron pipes that make musical tones when you run your hand across them.
Another cool idea would be a stationary bike
attached to the playground, because some kids with disabilities can’t ride bikes. Something that I think
everyone would enjoy would be a rolling log slide that makes a noise as you slide down it.
One idea for visually impaired people is a place near the playground to hang a white cane. Another is a tactile map of the playground. I would also like braille labels on all equipment so people can tell where they are.
I think my ideas, combined with all the good ideas people already have, will make this a great playground.
--Ozaukee Press
“
Leather’s & Associates Designer Dennis Wille worked with the children’s ideas. and drawings to create the final plans for possibility playground.
We Designed Possibility Playground!
Ozaukee County children let their imaginations fly and submitted drawings and descriptions of what they thought a perfect playground would be. “I think that this playground should be for all children, even the ones that have disabilities,” Natasha Will said. Adam Bradley thought the perfect playground should have a pirate ship, because Port Washington is right on the lake, and he drew one with a big American Flag. In all more than a hundred children participated.
On Design Day in May 2007, Leathers & Associates Designer Dennis Wille traveled to Port Washington, Wisconsin, from Ithaca, New York, and met with the children at Lincoln Elementary School. Wille collaborated with the children, then locked himself in and created the final drawings for the playground. Lincoln fourth grader Alexis Stuart won the name the playground contest, and Possibility Playground was underway. Design Day ended with a celebration, with balloons and special treats.
Port Washington’s Alexis Stuart won the
“Name the Playground” contest and a T-Shirt.
Man was shaped less by what he had to do than by what he did in playful moments. It is the child in man that is the source of his uniqueness and creativeness, and the playground is the optimal milieu for the unfolding of his capacities.”
—Eric Hoffer
Ozaukee County children let their imaginations fly and submitted drawings and descriptions of what they thought a perfect playground would be. “I think that this playground should be for all children, even the ones that have disabilities,” Natasha Will said. Adam Bradley thought the perfect playground should have a pirate ship, because Port Washington is right on the lake, and he drew one with a big American Flag. In all more than a hundred children participated.
