Recess gets a little bit cooler at Colonel Wright

“They really wanted a sunshade structure put up on the playground,” Elledge said, “there’s not a lot of trees out there, and [it can get] super hot, clearly, in The Dalles.”

Over the last couple of school years, the PTO had been conducting fundraisers to pay for a sunshade, including selling items from catalogs, CWES’ annual Jog-A-Thon, in which students get friends and family to pledge donations for every lap they complete, and a “Penny War,” in which classrooms work together to fill a jar with pennies for points (whilst sabotaging other classrooms by adding silver coins to their jars for minus points), with the classroom with the most points earning a pizza party.

According to Elledge, the PTO was able to raise $14,000 to cover the cost of a sunshade. “They’re shockingly expensive,” she said.

The sunshade structure was officially installed over a few days between Aug. 20-23, with installation donated by Crestline Construction in The Dalles. “We really appreciate them doing that for us,” Elledge said, “otherwise it probably wouldn’t have been possible this year.”

There was a small snag in the plans when it was discovered that the sunshade itself was initially the incorrect size for the structure that was placed and had to be remade to fit. The shade was finally able to be installed in late September.

According to Elledge, the PTO is also working with CWES Vice Principal Kim Kiser to paint sidewalk games underneath the sunshade to encourage students to play beneath it. She also noted that the PTO has the goal to install more sunshades in the future.

“The requirements from the state for play and PE time have increased over the last year, and so the kids have to be outside a lot more … just providing them with more shade was a priority for the teachers,” Elledge said.

She noted that CES is looking into more sun avoidance programs to help protect students against excessive sun exposure risks. “So where Colonel Wright specifically sits, 80% of their space is blacktop, and so it’s so hot and the school does not have the funds to create a green, immersive play space … and so we’re trying to do the best with what we’ve got,” Elledge said.

Elledge and the PTO extend their gratitude to those involved and their support to make the sunshade possible. “The CWES PTO would like to extend a thank-you to our parents, students, supporters of all our fundraising, Crestline Construction for going above and beyond getting the structure up and to Matthew Graham Remodeling for getting us to the finish line with installation,” she said.