Building for a better tomorrow
Pi Kapps help construct playground for Rise, Starpoint students
By Michael Davis
staff reporter
Pi Kappa Phi members struggled against inclement weather, mud and rocky soil Saturday to build a $20,000 playground for Rise and Starpoint students.
The Rise School, located on campus, is an early childhood educational center for children with Down syndrome. The school serves toddlers and preschoolers ages 18 months to 5 years old. The Starpoint School is a full-day elementary school for children ages 6 to 11 with learning disabilities like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
“Overall, the event went really well,” said Collin Sparks, a senior engineering major and president of Pi Kapp. “I was impressed by the guys and how many of them gave up a Saturday to come out. Most of the guys stayed until around 4 p.m., and we finished up around 5:15 p.m.”
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Michael Davis/STAFF REPORTER
(Above) Members of Pi Kappa Phi work together to finish the playground for the Rise and Starpoint Schools on Saturday. |
Close to 75 fraternity members volunteered to help construct the playground this weekend, he said.
lthough they didn’t finish the playground, Sparks said he feels like everyone involved benefited.
The playground will have two sets of jungle gyms equipped with tunnels, slides and climbing structures. It will also have a covered picnic area because children with Down syndrome can’t stay in the sun for long periods of time.
The playground should be finished in November or December because the fraternity needs the technician from the Grounds for Play playground company to complete construction, Sparks said.
Peggy Pfursich, the mother of a student at the school, said many times fraternities have a bad reputation, and people think drinking is their primary activity.
“That is how it was where I went to school in Wisconsin,” she said. “It is good to see these guys doing so much good.”
Kathleen Cooter, director of the school, said about six Pi Kapp members come to the school to volunteer three or four times a week, including helping in the classroom.
“It just makes me weep to see what these guys are doing,” she said.
Cooter said she invited members of the fraternity to visit the school before they volunteered.
“Sometimes people with disabilities are disconcerting to others because of a lack of familiarity with them,” she said.
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Chris Gibson/STAFF REPORTER
Freshman premajor Ryan Motola uses the jackhammer when helping to make the new playground. Construction for the playground started Saturday and will be finished in November or December. |
Pi Kapp’s national headquarters runs the national philanthropy PUSH, which raises money for people with disabilities, Sparks said. The fraternity learned of the Rise School’s need for volunteers through their adviser, and the opportunity piqued their interest, he said.
Sparks said the school didn’t have many male staff members so the fraternity felt they could make a large contribution.
“It’s not about creating sympathy, but empathy,” he said.
Danny Mogolov, a junior religion and economics major and Pi Kapp volunteer, said the children seem to enjoy the time with fraternity members.
“The kids call us giants,” he said.
Josh Gardner, a senior finance major and Pi Kapp’s philanthropy chairman, said many parents of children with Down syndrome really don’t have many options when it comes to educating their children because not many schools cater to their needs.
Tyler Pfursich, an 8-year-old student with reading difficulties and ADHD, said the first time he came to the Rise School he wondered where the playground was.
“I think it is going to be great,” he said. “We used to just play soccer.”
The construction of the playground was made possible by a $20,000 gift
from the Kimbell Art Foundation.
The Rise School is modeled after a similar school, the Stallings Center
at the University of Alabama.
Michael Davis
m.s.davis@student.tcu.edu