September 17, 2008

 News Release

Tyler ISD Students Celebrate New Playground

Students at Owens Elementary School have a new playground thanks to the efforts of the A.S. Genecov Foundation, the R. W. Fair Foundation, and the Owens PTA. The students and staff celebrated the new playground with a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, September 16^th. 

“It is so nice to have this new equipment for children to enjoy,” said Linda Payne, Owens Principal.

The Tyler ISD Foundation staff submitted grant applications to the A.S. Genecov Foundation and the R. W. Fair Foundation for the construction of a new playground for the kindergarten through fifth grade students at Owens Elementary.

The goal of the campaign is to raise $42,000 for the total project costs.  The amount raised was more than $29,000, which resulted in the funding of Phase I of the playground equipment.  Funds are needed to complete Phase II.

“An important part of this gift is that the physical exercise of our students is a crucial role in their success,” said Larry Goddard, Executive Director of the Tyler ISD Foundation.  The Foundation has played a role in the installation of four other Tyler ISD campus playground equipment sites in the past 18 months. 

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