Hannum Elementary School recently opened its new “Bear Den,” a Garden and Curling Center, partly funded by the Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 Education Foundation.
Physical Education teachers Michael Fanjoy and Daniel Lazzarotto started the process of bringing a new experience for students about a year and a half ago when they reached out to Floor Curl, a Canada-based company. They offered to run a case study about the impact of Floor Curl in Physical Education classes in exchange for discounted equipment.
After seeing how much the students enjoyed learning to curl and participating in different roles during the study, Fanjoy and Lazzarotto submitted a grant request to the Ed Foundation to help fund a garden and create freeze rinks for curling in the winter months. They later decided synthetic ice would allow students to use the rinks year-round and better utilize the space.
Hannum Principal Meagan Doornbos approved the proposal and the Ed Foundation awarded the Mini-Grant for the project. Grants up to $2500 are awarded to any staff of District 123 to support the exploration of ideas that promote creativity/innovation and enhance the opportunities/resources available to students and educators.
Surrounding community members and businesses helped by donating and transporting pallets to support the rinks. The District also supported this project by purchasing additional picnic tables for the space. Fanjoy and Lazzarotto appreciate the community's help and support to make this concept a reality.
This year Hannum students will participate in a Healthy and Active Kids Lunch and Recess Club where they will use indoor hydroponic gardening systems to jump-start the gardening process and later move the plants into the new garden beds. After students eat and tend to the garden, they will have the remainder of the time to compete in curling matches that are both Olympic-style and Shuffleboard-style.
“We are really excited to grow this program through clubs and integrate The Bears Den: Garden and Curling Center into our PE Lessons as well,” Fanjoy said. “Our goals for the club are to provide the students with unique one-of-a-kind learning experiences and provide them with the opportunities to develop life skills such as: growing and maintaining a garden, teamwork, strategic thinking, and good sportsmanship.”
