AUSTIN — As soon as Jamairion Washington finished his day at George Leland Elementary In Austin, he headed out past the football field to the set of cushioned mounds the school installed a year ago.
"It's pretty fun out here," said Jamairion, 7. "I really like the hills and rolling down. It don't hurt."
A few feet away, his classmates, teachers and other adults were celebrating the one-year anniversary of the schoolyard's complete overhaul into an environmentally friendly play and learning area.
A $1.5 million grant transformed the schoolyard, paying for a track, jungle gym, a flower garden, vegetable garden and the play mounds.
The grant — funded by Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Department of Water Management and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago — was provided so the school could provide a healthier learning environment for kids.
"Healthy students are better learners," said Meg Kelly, project manager with the Healthy Schools Campaign's Space to Grow project. "We want to foster that atmosphere."
Space to Grow also included environmental features in its redesign, Kelly said, including the use of permeable surfaces and lots of garden space to limit stormwater runoff, sparing the neighborhood from potential flooding.
The site can hold 130,000 gallons of rain water, Kelly said.
The gardens grow vegetables that students harvest and bring home to eat, Principal Turon Ivy said.
"We have gotten kids to start thinking about what they eat," Ivy said. "Have we gotten rid of all the flaming hot [chips] and such? No. But we want these kids thinking about a healthy lifestyle."
For the one-year celebration, the school and its partners held games, demonstrations and music for the kids at Leland, 512 S. Lavergne Ave.
Joining in on the hip hop-inspired yoga session was Ms. Miles, who has two grandchildren at Leland and wouldn't give her first name.
She said she volunteers to supervise recess at the school, and has seen how the new space has impacted the kids.
"They love it," Miles said. "It gives them someplace to talk, get out some energy."
Sometimes,Miles said she will stick around after recess and take advantage of the track.
"I love it too," she said laughing. "It is good exercise."
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