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Robert Morris ranked 20th for Pepsi Refresh Project and still seeking votes; top 10 ideas win $50k grant

By Timothy Walton

Robert Morris Elementary School is among 1,000 competitors in the Pepsi Refresh Project this month with hopes of winning a $50,000 grant to build a new playground.

Sound like a long shot? Not anymore, as Robert Morris is currently ranked 20th and they are still seeking your votes to help get them into the top 10 by the December 31st deadline.

"It's an important component and an important resource for our community as a whole" says Robert Morris principal Diane Bonarigo. "We have many families that come out and want their children to be on the playground during the day, throughout the early evening and on weekends".

Every month, Pepsi gives out $1.2 million in grant funds for worthy projects in the United States, therfore providing 12 submission periods. If a project doesn't win one month, it can be resubmitted, according to the website rules. And if it made the top 100, it will automatically be rolled into the next month's competition.

This month, there were 1,096 ideas submitted. But only the first 1,000 are considered

"We need a new playground because our swings are broken" says one student. "We need new monkey bars" adds another, and a parent states "it's not handicap accessible right now".

HOW TO VOTE:

1. You can go to refresheverything.com/robertmorrisplagyround, where you can find more information -- including a video made by students, staff and parents -- and vote by clicking the "Vote for this idea" tab (upper right).

2. You can also vote via text messaging. Simply text to 73774 and enter 104607 in the message.

3. If you have a Facebook account, you can enter your Facebook username and password to cast your vote (and also share with friends).

(People can go online and vote up to 10 times a day per person, per IP address/account.)

Photo: Robert Morris Principal Diane Bonarigo- excerpt from contest submission video)

Robert Morris School seeks votes for $50,000 grant to improve playground

By Daniel Crofts

This story has been updated, see below.

Robert Morris Elementary School is among 1,000 competitors in the Pepsi Refresh Project this month -- and if all goes well, they'll be one of the grant recipients. They want you to cast votes for them -- that's how the winners are chosen.

The school, located at 80 Union St. in Batavia, submitted a project idea to build a better, environmentally friendly playground there.

Each month, Pepsi ponies up $1.2 million in grant funds for worthy projects in the United States. Thus, there are 12 submission periods. If a project doesn't win one month, it can be resubmitted, according to the website rules. And if it made the top 100, it will automatically be rolled into the next month's competition.

This month, there were 1,096 ideas submitted. But only the first 1,000 are considered and only 32 will win money. It breaks down like this: two get $250,000; 10 get $50,000; 10 get $25,000; and 10 get $5,000.

The grants fall into six categories: health and fitness; food and shelter, education; The Planet; neighborhoods; and arts and culture.

People can go online and vote up to 10 times a day per person, per IP address/account. Voting ends at the end of December. Potential winners will be notified within the first week of January. Actual winners will be posted online by mid-month.

UPDATE:

Robert Morris School Principal Diane Bonarigo said that playground improvements -- designed by Parkitects -- are based on surveys filled out by parents, teachers and students.

Some features of the new playground would include safer and more usable equipment for kids with disabilities, equipment that is more suited for younger children, solar lighting in the evening for safety, more trees and mulch, and more opportunities for kids to get active.

Teacher Jerry Sloan said that the Playground Committee, of which he is the faculty leader, wanted this project to extend "beyond the scope of our school."

"The playground is used by the community," said teacher Jerry Sloan of the Playground Committee. "And for a lot of kids, it's one of the few available means of recreation."

"We're not just doing this for us," Bonarigo said. "We're doing it for the community. We think it will benefit (Batavia) for years to come."

1. You can go to refresheverything.com/robertmorrisplagyround, where you can find more information -- including a video made by students, staff and parents -- and vote by clicking the "Vote for this idea" tab (upper right).

2. You can also vote via text messaging. Simply text to 73774 and enter 104607 in the message.

3. If you have a Facebook account, you can enter your Facebook username and password to cast your vote (and also share with friends).

Conversations with Calliope- A Beach for Ideas

By Joseph Langen

 

(Boathouse Beach- Barbados)

var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you?
JOE: Still a little foggy from my cold. My mind has been active though.
CALLIOPE: What's stirring up there?
JOE: I thought about the column I just posted, Lessons from a Nude Beach and had an aha moment.
CALLIOPE: Which was?
JOE: I have been thinking about a website consisting of a playground for ideas. That's about as far as I got.
CALLIOPE: Until today?
JOE: Yes. I realized my ideas would be happier on a beach than on a playground.
CALLIOPE: What led you to that conclusion?
JOE: Maybe it's because I would be happier on a beach than on a playground.
CALLIOPE: Any other thoughts?
JOE: I realize life originated from the sea. What better place than a beach for ideas to germinate? They could write in the sand, swim or just bask in the sun.
CALLIOPE: All true.
JOE: I'll work on it some more and let you know what develops. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Life's Mysteries

By Joseph Langen

 

(Metal Sculpture- Vigo Spain)

var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine, thank you.
CALLIOPE: What are you up to today?
JOE: Continuing to plan my website conversion.
CALLIOPE: Tell me more about it.
JOE: I see it as a playground for my ideas where I will let them run around and watch them develop.
CALLIOPE: You told me yesterday about what you know for sure. What else will be running around?
JOE: What I call life mysteries.
CALLIOPE: Which are?
JOE: Things I have thought about for years but still can't make much sense of.
CALLIOPE: For example?
JOE: Sexual abuse is one. I have worked in a sex abuse program and also written a novel about a priest struggling with his abuse issues. Still I don't really understand why people do such things, although I have a few hints.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a complex topic.
JOE: It is. Maybe we can make some sense of it together and with the input of our readers. Talk with you tomorrow.

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