After five years of waiting, you could not blame the students of Sturgeon Bay School District’s Sunrise Elementary School for taking a couple of trips down the slide before Friday’s grand opening. Dozens of community members joined the student body for the ceremony commemorating the completion of the school’s new all-inclusive playground. The school’s playground was over a quarter-century old when officials decided to chase the dream of a new playground in 2019.
Raising enough funds to build the playground became a passion for community member Kendra Vandertie, and a summer school lemonade stand class for the district. A school referendum, business donations, and a Destination Door County grant helped accelerate the project.
Principal Katie Smullen pointed out during and after Friday’s ceremony how so many little hands had a role in making the playground a reality.
Vandertie and Smullen hope the community’s generosity doesn’t stop at Sunrise. Last summer, students of the summer school lemonade stand class spent a few days slinging drinks and selling other items to help fund the construction of a similar playground at Sawyer Elementary School.
