Fond du Lac fourth-grader designs playground to accommodate his wheelchair and include all students

FOND DU LAC - Owen Wild is only in fourth grade, but he’s already a deep thinker — and one of those kids always eager to get up in the morning and head off to school.

Last year was his first year attending Fond du Lac School District’s STEM Academy, where “he blossomed” in the project-based learning environment, according to his mom, Rachel Wild.

But there was one major problem.

As a student who uses a wheelchair, Owen’s ability to play with his classmates on the school’s playground equipment was limited.

On top of that, the woodchip surface hampered his ability to maneuver the wheelchair.

Recess, after all, is the highlight of many a young boy’s school day.

STEM Principal Tim Scottberg relates how one day Owen approached him about the problem he was dealing with — and offered a solution. As a school project he would research and come up with some ideas on how the school’s outdoor space could be made more inclusive for all students.

Owen was born with spina bifida, the most common disabling birth defect in the U.S., according to the Spina Bifida Association. It occurs when a baby's spinal cord fails to develop or close properly while in the womb.

Commonly referred to as the “snowflake condition” of birth defects, because no two cases are the same, Spina Bifida can range from mild to severe. Each year, about 1,427 babies are born with the condition, or 1 in every 2,758 births.

Owen’s mom says that despite her son’s fair share of obstacles and challenges, he always puts forth “all his effort in everything he does.”

“He is super active and healthy and loves being around other people and wants everyone to get along, and he definitely loves to play," she said.

Owen is STEM’s first student using a wheelchair, Scottberg points out, and that’s part of the reason the fourth-grader took it upon himself to educate students and staff on opportunities that could provide greater interaction between kids of all abilities.

Because the school emphasizes hands-on projects that allow students to learn through creating, designing and building, the principal and the schools' governance board gave Owen's plan a green light.

“He really emphasized and wanted to ensure his project wasn’t geared to just one student, but all students who come through STEM,” Scottberg said. “Even though Owen's classmates removed themselves from the playground to play with him, it was really hard watching and realizing he was at times feeling isolated.”

The 9-year-old’s ideas launched a yearlong, schoolwide fundraising campaign to purchase a piece of playground equipment known as a Volta inclusive spinner. The spinner can seat four to six students, is ergonomically easy to get onto, and to the delight of all the kids, “goes really fast," Scottberg said.

The playground transformation also included replacing woodchips with a smooth, rubber surface.

Representatives from BCI Burke Company, a maker of playground and recreational equipment in Fond du Lac, met with students and helped them come up with a plan of their choosing. The business also provided the school with a generous discount.

“Owen researched fundraising, how to contact a company to get quotes and estimates, and how to promote community projects,” Rachel Wild said. “He loves the ability he has at STEM to work independently and they encouraged him all along the way.”

Everyone knew it would be a pricy endeavor — about $16,000 — for a small school to pull off. Stem currently enrolls 130 students in grades four through 12.

Undaunted, Scottberg, parents and students rolled up their sleeves and rallied, raising more than $4,000 themselves through a virtual 5K event called the Haunted Hussle, traditionally the school’s annual fundraiser. This year, it takes place Nov. 6.

Fond du Lac Morning Rotary pitched in $3,000 and another $7,500 was provided to the school through a grant from Fondy 100 Gives.

Scottberg said it was pretty amazing to watch all this happen within a year's time.

"People were passionate about making an accessible playground a reality," he said. "I think Owen's vision inspired everyone."

This fall, after installation of the new equipment, the school held a ribbon-cutting ceremony during which Owen ceremoniously cut the ribbon.

The 9-year-old said he's happy the updated playground is now a reality.

"I can play with my friends and now other kids that might use wheelchairs or crutches can use it, too," Owen said.

Scottberg calls the fourth-grader a "unique student in so many wonderful ways."

"He's extremely big-hearted, polite and optimistic, with a great imagination that really paid off," he said.

Contact Sharon Roznik at 920-907-7936 or sroznik@gannett.com. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/reporterroz/

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This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac 9-year-old designs accessible playground for his school