TWO NEW, ULTRAMODERN play structures are prominently situated for all to see on the grounds at Our Lady of Fatima (OLF) Academy in San Clemente.
OUR LADY OF FATIMA ACADEMY STUDENTS MAKE USE OF THE SCHOOLS NEW PLAY STRUCTURES ON SEPT. 20. PHOTO BY LOU PONSI/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The play structures, one for older grades and one for the younger children, have enough accessories and play spaces to keep students entertained during recess and recreation time – monkey bars, climbers, twisty slides, tube slides, platforms, panels and so much more.
On Sept. 20, with students, teachers and school administrators looking on, Fr. Antonio Lopez-Flores, OLF’s pastor, Fr. Edward Becker, priest in residence, and Deacon Carl Swanson blessed the play spaces and students.
The school’s new principal, Jennifer Jukic, had this to say about the play structures: “With the new play structures on campus, Our Lady of Fatima students climb and play while enjoying many other new additions to the school play yard such as cornhole, gaga ball, four square, chess and hopscotch. Our Lady of Fatima is a gem of a school located in paradise that is coming into a new era with added enrichments throughout the day and after school.”
Jukic was quick to point praise to her predecessor Brett Minter for directing the project during his tenure.
As she introduced Minter during the ceremony, she said: “He doesn’t get to play on them [play structures] this year and he doesn’t get to watch you play on them, but he’s here to celebrate you and celebrate our playground.”
“It is lovely …. It is beautiful,” said Minter, who spearheaded the acquisition of the playgrounds during the 2023-24 school year, his second year at the school. “It is exactly what I wanted it to be,” added Minter, who is now the principal at Sts. Simon and Jude School in Huntington Beach.
Each year, OLF Academy selects a “fund-in-need,” which then becomes the focus of its annual fundraising gala. A new playground was chosen as the fund-in-need for the “RISE to Kindness” Gala held Feb. 3, 2024.
Funds raised at the gala helped pay for the playground equipment, Minter said.
“We were looking for something that has more of an impact on the kids now and in the future,” he added.
After discussing different potential projects, the board, administration and staff settled on the playground for feasibility and student-impact. A new play structure would keep kids safe and updated equipment would offer more opportunities to play. The new structure is two to three times the size of the last one.
Fr. Antonio said it was important to have a newer, safer playground for the children to enjoy themselves and release energy.
“I think it was a dream and that dream came true,” he said. “Working all together as a community, we built it.”
Art instructor Daphne Henry, who is also a parent of two students at the school, said the structures, which are situated on the highest point on campus, serve as a great focal point.
“As a mom and a teacher, I love all the amazing opportunities it’s been giving all of our students including my own two kiddos,” Henry said. “So, we just want to say thank you to everyone who supported in the building of our new structure.
But the students who’ve actually been using the playground structures might be the most qualified to render opinions.
“I like the new playground because there are ropes to climb and twisty slides,” first-grader Stella Brady said. “I like the little seats it has.”
Second-grader Troy Nuernberg added: “I like the new playground because it has more toys and it’s fast. I like the monkey bars, and I like the rock-climbing stuff, and it is also the biggest playground I’ve ever seen.”
Looking ahead, Principal Jukic shared, “The future of Our Lady of Fatima focuses on meeting the needs of all students and adding in some of the basics into our small community that were not present before. A great school has a multifaceted approach to learning so with new tools and techniques, the future of OLF is brighter than ever while we focus on quality over quantity and depth over breadth.”