Bustleton Learning Center, 6600 Bustleton Ave., has a new playground and much more thanks to the Maryland-based nonprofit Kaboom and the hard work of Vanguard employees and their families.
The work was performed in the rain on Oct. 11, but only after volunteers warmed up by doing the Cha Cha Slide.
Kaboom’s Lex Lesley served as project manager. The theme was, “We Grow Together.”
The work included a climber for after-school students; a mural; painting of walls and lockers; a nature area with a space to read; planting five trees; a farm stand with food toys; planter boxes to grow vegetables; a mud kitchen for kids to play; shelving; storage; renovation of staff offices; a play structure with a slide; and swings.
“In just six hours, we built an entire playground,” Lesley said. “It has been a complete transformation.”
Aliya Johnson-Roberts is the director at Bustleton Learning Center, which is located in the building that once housed the David G. Neuman Senior Center and cares for kids ages 2-12. She said Vanguard reached out to her, encouraging her to apply for Kaboom funding to build a custom playground and make other improvements.
Johnson-Roberts joined the early learning field to follow in the footsteps of her mom, Linda Hatchell, who ran a program called Linda’s Kids are Special and later opened Pratt Street Learning Center, at Summerdale Avenue and Pratt Street.
Isis Clarke, Johnson-Roberts’ daughter and Hatchell’s granddaughter, is assistant director at Bustleton Learning Center.
“This is truly a dream come true,” Clarke said of all the upgrades.
Vanguard volunteers wore Community 365 T-shirts.
“It’s amazing. We got a lot done today,” said A.J. Jordan, who heads Vanguard’s community stewardship program, which includes a Strong Start for Kids initiative.
And Vanguard is not done. George Ramirez, of the risk group division, said there are more walls to be painted and fencing to be installed in the future. ••
