Penny by penny, JH House Elementary’s community came together to make the dream of a new playground into reality.

After five years of fundraising, JH House Elementary School students, parents, PTA, faculty and supporters celebrated the opening of its brand new playground with four new pieces of equipment – swings, geodome climber, horseshoe climber and a rock wall.

The fundraising began when Mr. Jones and the students began collecting pennies five years ago. But it was with the help of community sponsors in the last year, including General Mills, Carol V. Clark, a Rockdale County High School graduate and principal of Carol Clark Law in Sandy Springs, Dr. Patricia Davis, Northwest Radiology Consultants and MRI and Imaging of Georgia, that the dream of being able to play on a new playground came true for JH House Students. About $15,000 was raised and the playground was dedicated on Feb. 10.

Fourth grade teacher Annie Lester, formerly a student herself at JH House, said “I am glad that we have new equipment because I remember the old equipment from when I attended J. H. House Elementary as a student.”

Organizer Andrea Cudzillo said “Also, what cannot go unrecognized is the PTA members of J.H. House elementary. These members were the driving force behind this cause for celebration. The PTA members were always trying to find fundraising events for the children to do or small business to contribute.”