An 11-year-old girl's dream and a Kansas City high school are the winners of the Synthetic Turf Council's annual Search for the Real Field of Dreams contest. The contest recognizes synthetic turf fields, parks and playgrounds across the United States and Canada that have had a significant impact on their community.
In 2007, 11-year-old Taylor Reuille, a resident of Fort Wayne, Ind., recognized the need for more accessible parks in the city. Along with her family and her community, Taylor worked tirelessly to raise funds for the million-dollar project, and with help from the city and a grant from the Pepsi Refresh Challenge was finally able to make the park a reality. In June, Taylor's Dream Boundless Playground (pictured), the first such park in Indiana, opened for use by the community - the entire community. A synthetic turf known as Playground Grass allows people with assistive devices access to all areas of the park and the barrier-free playground equipment.
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The dilapidated athletic fields at Van Horn High School in Kansas City, Mo., were the least of the school's worries when it was annexed into the Independence school district in 2007. The first repairs were made to the school's academic program to remedy high dropout rates, truancy and poor test scores, and then administrators turned their attention to the athletic program. After 37 years of neglect, during which time neither the school's football nor soccer teams were able to play a single home game, the athletic fields received a much-needed renovation. Synthetic turf was chosen to meet the needs of the school's athletic, band and physical education programs. Being able to play on their own fields gave athletes a renewed sense of community and pride, something administrators believe is a contributing factor to improved test scores and a 95 percent graduation rate.
Other outstanding synthetic turf fields recognized include:
Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills, Ky.Ridgeland High School in Rossville, Ga.Canyon De Chelly Elementary School in Chinle, Ariz.
Read more about these facilities and more here.
