In 2005, over a crisp October week, Pines Montessori School transformed its landscape into a beautiful learning experience to be enjoyed by children, parents and the entire Kingwood community. Infinity Park was constructed, with the help of Leather & Associates, entirely by volunteer support. The Park was created as an outdoor playground and nature habitat in which the children experience science through play and exploration of their environment.
The construction crew of 300 skilled and unskilled volunteers spent a week working together, utilizing donated tools and supplies, to construct a most impressive outdoor learning environment. Each morning, the crew was greeted with hot coffee and breakfast to start the day. The crews worked in unison hammering, nailing and creating with parents, neighbors, students from the community and many, many of our own Pines children.
Through interactive play, Infinity Park encourages imaginative play and the opportunity for hands-on learning throughout every area. There are textures to discover, science lessons to be learned and wide open spaces to explore with each area of the Park. It is an adventure in learning unlike any other in our area, which is open to the public when school is not in session.
Pines parent volunteers put out a call to friends and family, as well as to the community at large, to put together a 90-person crew for each day of construction. With help from neighborhood schools, civic groups and special interest organizations, there was a full array of hands to help with the project. As a cost-saving measure, the volunteers were able to have equipment donated. From lumber and nails, to prefabricated equipment, from tools and machinery, to food and drinks, donated items filled the work and break areas. Parents were also offered the opportunity to sponsor pieces of the playground. Everything from friction slides to chimes to benches was offered up to parents and the community to donate by sponsoring that particular piece of equipment.
Over the past years, we have been able to see the fruits of that labor each and every day as we watch the children grow and learn in their unique environment. The discovery opportunities abound as the children move through the landscape of this beautiful area. This project would not have been possible without the help of our Pines community as well as the Kingwood community and all who serve it. We have utilized the Park in every way imaginable, and have had the opportunity to offer this beautiful place to our community as a thank you for helping us realize our dream. As a school community, we developed a vision of a beautiful learning experience, made a plan and enlisted volunteers to make that vision become a reality.
With a monetary investment of $115,000 Pines Montessori School, its administration and a handful of hard-working parent volunteers succeeded in managing this project. With cash donations totaling almost $80,000 and donations in kind making up the difference, the Pines Community was able to see Infinity Park through to its fruition. It was a joint effort involving all aspects of finance, administration and lots of elbow grease to see this project in all that it has become. It is a tribute to the capabilities of this organization to manage and monitor all aspects of this community build in its truest form. With our sights set on the future, anything is possible.
