Submitted
From left: Greenville County Schools Board of Trustees Chair Lisa Wells, Washington Center Principal Penny Rogers, Sara Collins Principal Melissa Burns and Washington Center parents and staff receive a $35,450 grant from Greenville Women Giving to create a handicapped accessible nature trail.
This trail will provide accessible recreational areas as well as a venue for environmental instruction, and it will be available to the public during non-school hours.
“We at Washington Center are pleased and grateful to be chosen as a 2016 grant recipient,” said Dr. Penny Rogers, Principal of Washington Center.
“As a result of this gift and those of others in the community, we will be able to develop an outdoor area for instruction and leisure activities for our students, many of whom are limited in their ability to access the environment, and for students served in both regular education and special education programs at Sara Collins.” said Rogers.
“We will also be able to partner with the community to share the trail during non-school hours and to work toward making the appearance of the area surrounding the school more attractive.”
The trail will consist of a one-tenth mile walkway, through a safe, wooded area directly behind the Washington Center building, and there will be trail connectors to both Washington Center and Sara Collins.
It will be eight-feet wide to allow two wheelchairs to pass each other on the trail, and railings will protect the safety of students who have gait difficulties or who utilize various types of mobility equipment.
Along the trail there will be space for students to relax, to observe, to learn about the environment and to enjoy being outside. QR codes that can be used with iPads will give students immediate access to specific information about trees and plants they encounter, and outdoor tables will be used for picnicking and special projects.
Additionally, students will be taught to care for and value the environment.
The award was presented at the 10th annual Greenville Women Giving meeting.