AAOS Built Ashe a New Playground!

Working hard in the rain to build "The Web"

On Tuesday, March 11, over 200 volunteers worked from 8:30am to 2:30pm to build a brand new, safe and accessible playground, for the students of Arthur Ashe Charter School and the surrounding neighborhood.  The volunteers kept up their spirits and delivered a beautiful playground - all the while working through a very rainy day.  The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons made this amazing new playground a reality!

The rain won't keep this rock wall from
being built!

Volunteers started work in a downpour and continued throughout the day.  This amazing new playground will bring joy to the students at Ashe, as well as to all the children in the neighborhood.  In addition to volunteers from AAOS, and FirstLine Schools, many college students, from local and out-of-state universities, also volunteered on the build.

Volunteers that built "The Web" testing it out

The volunteers were thanked throughout the day by Ashe students in a variety of ways.  Students walked around at lunch, handing out thank you letters.  The fifth grade came out and performed a thank you song, as well as sharing why this playground is so important to them.

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured the Ashe band; Dr. Frederick M. Azar, incoming president of AAOS; Brian Egana, Vice-Chair of the FirstLine Schools Board of Directors; Cynthia Hedge Morrell, New Orleans City Councilmember; and Sivi Domango, Co-Director of Arthur Ashe Charter School.

Thank you to all the volunteers for an amazing accessible playground that will serve ALL children.

Ashe Band at the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony