After two years of fundraisers and planning, students, parents and staff at Garrett Elementary School officially opened their new playground.

The first of three phases, the new playground sports a Sky Wheel and the Bongo Jungle Climber as well as other kid-approved features.

Amanda Davison, a fifth grade teacher at Garrett Elementary, proposed the idea of building a new playground after seeing the equipment at Walker Elementary, another school in the Hazelwood School District.

“I was walking with my son near Walker [Elementary] and noticed their playground and thought it was pretty cool,” she recalled. “Then I started thinking, ‘this would be nice for [Garrett] students’.”

Davison proposed the idea of bringing new equipment to the school to the Parent Teacher Association who wholeheartedly agreed. The PTA spearheaded a variety of fundraisers including selling TJs Pizza, St. Louis Blues tickets, and entertainment coupon books. The PTA also coordinated a holiday craft night and Santa’s workshop, where proceeds from the sale of holiday items benefitted the playground project.

“Our families really came together and made this happen,” said Erik Melton, Garrett principal. “We’re always grateful for the community’s support because our students are the big winners.”

According to Barb Jaycox, Garrett PTA president, this is the first phase of the new playground. The subsequent phases will include the addition of two sliding boards.