When Geddes began her tenure as White Pine Elementary School’s PTA President, she met with then-principal Shellie Healy and asked a simple question. “What does the school need most?” Principal Healy answered quickly, “We would love more swings for the children on the playground.” ‘We can make a way to find more swings,’ Geddes said. “After we started that, I thought, ‘Well, why not just add some more components?’ And then, we did!”

 

When Principal Healy was transferred to Sunrise Elementary and Principal Derek Beer stepped in, Beer was eager to help. A school where he had worked previously had just installed a new playground system, so he and Geddes collaborated to lay out a plan and contact contractors. Geddes and her team made a list of community members who may be willing to donate to the playground, connected with local restaurants to offer fundraising nights, and recruited local businesses who were willing to provide their services. In the end, hundreds of parents, volunteers, and community business owners came together to raise the necessary $40,000 in funds and install the new playground pieces. The process took two years. 

 

“I remember when Jen called me and said we had enough money to add on to the playground. I heard two things in her voice: disbelief and relief!” Principal Beer said with a laugh. 

 

“There were times when it didn’t seem possible,” Geddes said. “We had been working so hard for so long. But I remember running the numbers that morning and realizing, ‘We did it!”

 

The end result included eight new standard swings, one ADA swing, and three jungle gym pieces. Geddes praised the vast community, school, and parent collaborations throughout the process and encouraged parents across the district to join their schools’ PTA. “I think people think PTA is too much work,” she said, “but I think that if every parent is willing to do their little part, to be active and involved in their kid’s education, that’s how we can support our children. That’s where awesome things happen.”