Julia Wartel serves as the Communities in Schools site coordinator at Bennett Venture Academy and earned a grant to upgrade the school’s sports equipment. The grant is through Leveling the Playing Field, a national organization dedicated to expanding access and equity within youth sports and recreation programs.
Leveling the Playing Field operates regional branches that store and distribute new and gently-used sports and playground equipment. Wartel said the Ohio branch is located in Columbus and she collects supplies every other month.
Scholars pose with equipment the school received as a part of Wartel’s efforts and relationship with Leveling the Playing Field.
“The purpose behind it all is to enhance our sports programs,” Wartel said. “Our physical education classes have full access to any of the equipment we receive. I will bring in the physical education teacher and athletic director and try to get things they need.”
Prior to this partnership, the school’s outdoor basketball hoops did not have rims and scholars didn’t have a ball to play with. Now, students can play a proper game of basketball at recess thanks to a pair of new rims and plenty of basketballs.
Other items the school has brought in thanks to Leveling the Playing Field include: a regulation soccer goal, flag football flags, footballs, basketballs, shoes, backpacks, water bottles, cones, table games, and much more.
Roller skates and roller blades are just a few of the items that have been given to Bennett Venture Academy to help enhance the school’s sports equipment.
The plan for these resources is already in place. Flag football and soccer programs begin this spring, and thanks to Wartel’s work, these programs can begin with the equipment needed to practice. She said she believed access to sports in school is vital.
“I think that it really teaches kids discipline in a way that’s not behavior-related,” Wartel said. “It teaches structure and goal setting to help build your skills. There’s also a huge accountability piece, too. Kids who are in sports know they can’t be getting in trouble at school or failing classes to be on the team. It’s a really good motivator.”
Scholars have been excited to use their new equipment, and get extra enthusiastic when they see some of the apparel Wartel has brought in. She said they marvel at pairs of shoes she will bring back, noting that a pair of Kobe Easter shoes was a fan favorite. With community partnerships like this one bringing scholars plenty of inspiration, it should come as no surprise Bennett Venture Academy has outperformed the local district for 16 years.
Bennett Venture Academy scholars can now play basketball at recess after having empty backboards to begin the school year.
The utility of this equipment doesn’t start and end with sports programs and playgrounds, though. Wartel said she picked up roller skates and roller blades, and the hope is to use them at an incentive party to roller skate in the gym. Athlete or not, Bennett Venture Academy scholars are reaping the benefits of this awesome community partnership.
Thank you, Julia and Communities in Schools, for helping transform sports and recess at Bennett Venture Academy!
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About Bennett Venture Academy
Bennett Venture Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school located in Toledo, Ohio serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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