Last week Carlton Oaks cut the ribbon on a new Ninja Warrior playground structure. This obstacle course has replaced existing equipment on the southeast field of the campus, and adds a fun, interactive way for students to improve physical wellness, strength, endurance and balance.
“The Ninja Warrior course was inspired by Andrew Johnston, our previous principal, and was made possible through Carlton Oaks PTA and families, who fundraised to pay for installation costs,” stated Carlton Oaks Principal, Dr. Nona Richard. “It’s a great example of combined and consistent efforts to provide fun and physical fitness for students.”
In addition to fundraising efforts, the Board of Education approved using a mixture of funds from a current U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) grant with other District funding sources to pay for this project. The DoDEA grant was awarded to Carlton Hills, Carlton Oaks and Rio Seco, and was named Project Resilience. This grant provides resources to military-connected school districts to ease the challenges military students face, support the social and emotional needs of students, or improve academics. Project Resilience has also helped fund counseling services, teacher enrichment activities, and various materials to support social-emotional learning.
District administration continuously seeks out grants and opportunities to maximize existing funding to enhance the experience of our students and staff on campus. The Ninja Warrior course is a great investment in student well-being and will be something students will enjoy for years to come.