The Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learningís Parent Teacher Association raised $27,000 for new turf, which they laid July 26, just in time for football season.The old field had a sloped lawn, making it vulnerable under rainy conditions and hazardous to student activities. ìYou had to watch the ground if you were running for the football, there are gopher holes everywhere that you can twist your ankle,î said Brianna Riggle, PSPEL student.Jennifer Repko organized about 30 volunteers to lay the turf. She said the field took about a year to come to fruition. ìWe had a fun run, among other fundraisers,î Repko said. ìThe kids got a dollar a lap.îPaula Palmer, facilitator, said the entire community helped with the project. ìCEOs of every homebuilder out here created Falcon Community Builders for Classrooms, and they donated all the dirt we needed to level the ground,î Palmer said. Dominoes brought pizza for lunch on July 26, and Swirly Cow brought frozen yogurt.Since the location of the field was on a hill, it had to be leveled out 8 feet. Troy Stinson of North Star Home Improvements was the project manager. ìWe had to re-route the drainage; erosion of the ground was one of the biggest problems,î Stinson said. He said they added culverts as well, and the school should have no further drainage issues. The artificial turf should last about 15 to 20 years, Stinson said.
