Kennedy Krieger, BGE unveil state-of-the-art playground for special needs students

Daily Record Staff//September 14, 2017//

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Kennedy Krieger Institute Fairmount School students join with President and CEO Gary Goldstein, second from left, and BGE President and former Kennedy Krieger Institute board member Calvin G. Butler Jr., center, to cut the ceremonial ribbon and officially open a new, accessible playground at the school. (Photo courtesy of Kennedy Krieger Institute) — Kennedy Krieger Institute Fairmount School students join with President and CEO Gary Goldstein, second from left, and BGE President and former Kennedy Krieger Institute board member Calvin G. Butler Jr., center, to cut the ceremonial ribbon and officially open a new, accessible playground at the school. (Photo courtesy of Harry Bosk Photography)

BGE and Harry Bosk Photography.

From left, Calvin Butler Jr., BGE CEO and former Kennedy Krieger Institute board member; Lainy Lebow-Sachs, executive vice president of external affairs at Kennedy Krieger Institute; and Gary Goldstein, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute, helped open a new, accessible playground at the institute’s Fairmount School. (Photo courtesy of Kennedy Krieger Institute) — From left, Calvin Butler Jr., BGE CEO and former Kennedy Krieger Institute board member; Lainy Lebow-Sachs, executive vice president of external affairs at Kennedy Krieger Institute; and Gary Goldstein, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute, helped open a new, accessible playground at the institute’s Fairmount School. (Photo courtesy of BGE)

From left, Linda Foy, a senior manager of communications with BGE; Kristin King, a corporate citizenship specialist with BGE; Aaron Koos, director of communications with BGE; Mellanie Lassiter, external affairs manager with BGE; Valencia McClure, vice president of governmental and external affairs and corporate relations with BGE; Andy Holmes, vice president and controller with BGE; Lynn Hrdlick-Kerner, corporate responsibility specialist with BGE; Calvin G. Butler Jr.; CEO of BGE; Steve Woerner, president and chief operating officer with BGE; Carol Dodson, vice president of support services with BGE; Alexander G. Núñez, Esq., senior vice president of regulatory and external affairs with BGE; Limor Rauer, manager of occupational therapy at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Fairmount School; Brooke Shivers, ACT manager at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Fairmount School; Justin Mulcahy, communications manager with BGE; and Sandi Jenkins, the principal at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Fairmount School, were on hand at the opening of a new, accessible playground at the institute’s Fairmount School. (Photo courtesy of Kennedy Krieger Institute) — From left, Linda Foy, a senior manager of communications with BGE; Kristin King, a corporate citizenship specialist with BGE; Aaron Koos, director of communications with BGE; Mellanie Lassiter, external affairs manager with BGE; Valencia McClure, vice president of governmental and external affairs and corporate relations with BGE; Andy Holmes, vice president and controller with BGE; Lynn Hrdlick-Kerner, corporate responsibility specialist with BGE; Calvin G. Butler Jr.; CEO of BGE; Steve Woerner, president and chief operating officer with BGE; Carol Dodson, vice president of support services with BGE; Alexander G. Núñez, Esq., senior vice president of regulatory and external affairs with BGE; Limor Rauer, manager of occupational therapy at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Fairmount School; Brooke Shivers, ACT manager at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Fairmount School; Justin Mulcahy, communications manager with BGE; and Sandi Jenkins, the principal at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Fairmount School, were on hand at the opening of a new, accessible playground at the institute’s Fairmount School. (Photo courtesy of BGE)

Students at Kennedy Krieger’s Fairmount School can take learning outside thanks to the generosity of BGE, which helped make the creation of the Power Up Play Deck possible. (Photo courtesy of Kennedy Krieger Institute) — Students at Kennedy Krieger’s Fairmount School can take learning outside thanks to the generosity of BGE, which helped make the creation of the Power Up Play Deck possible. (Photo courtesy of BGE)

Kennedy Krieger’s Fairmount School staff and students alike enjoy playing on a swing at its newly unveiled, accessible school playground. (Photo courtesy of Kennedy Krieger Institute) — Kennedy Krieger’s Fairmount School staff and students alike enjoy playing on a swing at its newly unveiled, accessible school playground. (Photo courtesy of BGE)

Kennedy Krieger’s Fairmount School’s new playground was designed and constructed in conjunction with therapists and school staff to provide accessible opportunities for students with disabilities who range from kindergarteners to eighth graders. (Photo courtesy of Kennedy Krieger Institute) — Kennedy Krieger’s Fairmount School’s new playground was designed and constructed in conjunction with therapists and school staff to provide accessible opportunities for students with disabilities who range from kindergarteners to eighth graders. (Photo courtesy of BGE)

Kennedy Krieger Institute executives and teachers, physical therapists and students from Kennedy Krieger School’s Fairmount School campus joined with representatives from BGE Sept. 6 to celebrate the culmination of a three-month project to provide students at the school with a new, accessible playground, which the students named the Power Up Play Deck.

The project kicked off in April with a tear down of the old playground by BGE representatives and Kennedy Krieger staff. All of the volunteers returned to the site to help celebrate the completion of the state-of-the-art playground.

The new playground was designed and constructed in conjunction with therapists and school staff to provide accessible opportunities for students with disabilities who range from kindergarteners to eighth graders. While it can be used for multiple purposes, the playground will foster motor development, balance, coordination and proprioceptive awareness and will address students’ sensory needs through movement, tactile, visual, auditory and kinesthetic opportunities. Overall, the playground will provide a safe environment to challenge students to build their repertoire of physical skills and abilities all while building greater confidence.

Deidre Rabuck, assistant principal at the Kennedy Krieger School’s Fairmount campus, revealed the playground’s official name at the ribbon-cutting ceremony while Dr. Gary Goldstein and BGE CEO Calvin Butler, CEO welcomed students to the new playground for the first time.

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