GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A local 9-year-old is taking matters into his own hands to make sure there's recess for all, after he realized his friends with disabilities couldn't get on to the playground at school.
Zeph Everson noticed some of his friends sitting on the sidelines at recess one day. The 4th grader at Arcado Elementary said he was heartbroken about it, so now he's taken action and raising money to fix it.
"If not everybody gets to play on the playground, that's just not fair," Everson told 11Alive's Kaitlyn Ross Wednesday afternoon.
Using the monkey bars as an example, the 9-year-old pointed out how it's a challenge for him, but the point is... he can do it.
"This is really high, so you end up having to climb right here so it's really hard for a wheelchair student to get up here," he said.
So Everson took a harder look at the playground. While the space does have 2 wheelchair accessible swings, the woodchips make it nearly impossible for their chairs to roll in it.
"No wheels can get in because they'll end up sinking into it like quicksand," he noted. "Some kids can't handle too much heat, so we need some shaded areas. Some kids can't get up the stairs, like people in wheelchairs, they need ramps."
After doing some thinking, Everson decided to write a letter to his principal about changing the playground, to make it inclusive for everyone. (Click here to read Everson's full letter)
Arcado Elementary School's principal Penny Young told 11Alive she's impressed by Everson's actions, but not surprised: "He's such an amazing friend to his classmates," she said.
Young told 11Alive she'll be working to contact companies to come out to the playground to see how they can add to it.
"I've also had this (Everson's) dream, but I just didn't have the big voice or the initiative that he has," Young joked.
But neither of them had the money. Everson started a fundraiser and asked his friends how to make it better.
It will take about $130,000 to get the playground just how Everson wants it: "SUPER big," he said. "Bigger than anything anything I've done in my whole life!"
So far, the school has raised $32,000, but Everson believes the end result will be worth it.
"It's going to be like everyone, not just some people," he said. "EVERYONE can play on the playground."
Join the #RecessForAll campaign at Arcado Elementary School. Donations can be made to www.gcps-foundation.org/donation/des/recessforall.
