PARADISE VALLEY — The students of Paradise Valley Elementary School have an improved place to play, read, and shoot-the-hoops thanks to a community-wide effort and the leadership of the PTO.

The community is invited and encouraged to attend a short Awards/Dedication presentation on Thursday (April 29) at noon by Humboldt County DA Russell Smith and Sheriff Ed Kilgore.  Lunch will be served by the students.

Representatives from the many businesses and organizations who helped bring the project about will be on hand:  Humboldt County School District, Newmont Gold Corporation, Hunewill Construction, Paradise Valley PTO, Paradise Valley School staff and other major donors to the schoolyard improvement project.

Events began three and a half years ago when Paradise Valley mom Kris Stewart presented her fellow PTO parents with a proposal for an ambitious schoolyard improvement campaign for the K-8 Paradise Valley School.

The project included an automatic sprinkler system, outdoor seating, new sod, plantings and an outdoor regulation basketball/volleyball/tennis court.

The PTO membership agreed to undertake the project, and began raising and allocating monies to the plan. The PTO funded and worked with Humboldt County School District to install its automatic sprinkler system in 2008, followed by sod and circular benches around its giant pine trees last year.

The sprinklers and sod were entirely funded by local PTO fundraisers and labor provided by HCSD. The circular benches were designed and built by local carpenter Tony Mentaberry and funded by Jackson Mountain Homemakers in memory of Dale DeLong, and the Stewart, Bell and Cook families in memory of Mildred and Joe Cook. The benches provide a cozy place to read outside and were dedicated to three individuals who have great grandchildren attending the school. 

The jewel in the crown of the schoolyard improvement project was finished this week in the form of an all-new asphalt sports court on the west side of the school. The court provides a regulation basketball court as well as tennis and volleyball uprights and netting. There is also room for a foursquare court behind the main court area. The court will provide much needed recreational space for both students as well as the community at large. The area is available for community use outside regular school hours.

Kris Stewart spearheaded the court construction process and worked with school district officials, the local PTO, local contractor Loren Hunewill and other individuals to make the court come to life.

Loren Hunewill of Hunewill Construction generously discounted his services to install the court, the Paradise Valley PTO membership raised and presented nearly $6,000 to the HCSD toward the project.

Stewart wrote a successful competitive grant to Newmont Gold Corp for over $4,500 to fund the basketball/volleyball/tennis uprights and other supplies.  She also donated her school board stipend for more than a two year period to add over $3,000 more to the project.

HCSD contributed $2,000 from its building and grounds fund, Gary Echevarria donated over $1,000 in backhoe rental time and the Bill Arant Memorial fund contributed nearly $800 to complete the project.

In total, the membership of the Paradise Valley PTO raised over $40,000 in donations, grants and in-kind services and discounts to complete this project according to longtime Paradise Valley PTO Treasurer Jhona Bell.

“This project was proposed by Kris Stewart under the leadership of then PTO President Carrie Eary, and carried on by Kris when she became PTO president two years ago,” Bell said. “All of the PTO parents and PVS staff should be very proud of what we’ve accomplished and of the lasting legacy that we’ve given our children and our local school.”

“It seems like every group of PTO parents and staff leave something behind at Paradise Valley School. The group before us built a beautiful kitchen. Other groups have built or bought playground equipment.

For many years the PTO paid for music, dance, swimming and other lessons for the kids. They’ve funded teacher stipends, field trips, playdates, rural basketball, uniforms, sports equipment, AV equipment and much more.

Besides the financial support, parents, grandparents, community and staff step up and volunteer throughout every year.

Paradise Valley School is a special place and I am very proud to have been a part of this project and the PTO program overall,” Bell continued. “Everyone needs to know that Kris, in particular, worked really hard against some long odds to make this schoolyard improvement process a reality. She deserves a huge thank you from both the community and the HCSD.”

Paradise Valley PTO president Kris Stewart added “I think when you combine our wonderful principal Robert Lindsay, our awesome teachers and staff, the huge improvements that the HCSD bond has brought to the Paradise Valley School along with our PTO schoolyard improvement project, you have a little school that is going to comfortably serve our community’s children for many years to come.”

“The bond allowed for new energy efficient windows, a safe new heating and cooling system, repaired walkways and stairs, and new asbestos-free indoor flooring,” Stewart said. “Prior to this we added a portable classroom and computer lab to enhance our ability to use new technologies to better serve our students.

This coupled with all of the beautiful new outdoor improvements make Paradise Valley School a great place to go to school,” Stewart said. “I am really proud of our school, its teachers, staff, parents, PTO membership and the great community of Paradise Valley.

“I also want to recognize that our PTO could never have done this without the on-going support of all the businesses, professionals, individuals and families who give annually to our fundraisers” Stewart added. “Credit for this project belongs to each of them as much as it does to our PTO.”

“I’ve enjoyed being a part of what a community can accomplish when we work together for a common goal and Fred and I can’t wait to shoot some hoop with our daughter at the new court,” Stewart concluded.