Napier Elementary students break ground on new $75K storybook trail

Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean
Napier Elementary School pre-K students, from left, Khalyn Salters, 3, Kyle Johnson, 4, Kyzala Bauman, 4, and Salmon Ali, 4, turn the ceremonial dirt for the cameras during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Storybook Trail outdoor learning space at Napier Elementary School in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.
Napier Elementary School pre-K students, from left, Khalyn Salters, 3, Kyle Johnson, 4, Kyzala Bauman, 4, and Salmon Ali, 4, turn the ceremonial dirt for the cameras during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Storybook Trail outdoor learning space at Napier Elementary School in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.

Six pre-K students donned hard hats as they picked up kid-sized shovels to break ground on a new outdoor learning space and interactive storybook trail at Napier Elementary School on Thursday.

The project is funded by $75,000 from PNC Foundation, in partnership with the Governor's Early Learning Foundation and Metro Nashville Public Schools. A light breeze brought some relief as temperatures flirted with triple digits while a few dozen gathered to mark the moment with a ceremony.

"I hope you're ready to dig," PNC regional president Mike D. Johnson said to the kids as he delivered brief remarks.

MNPS Director Adrienne Battle was also on hand, along with several city and school leaders. Battle said she hopes the project will bring the joy and love of reading to the kids and the community around the school. She also said community partnerships are key to boosting literacy efforts and other projects across the district.

Napier Elementary School pre-K students flip the symbolic dirt to kick off the creation of the Storybook Trail during the groundbreaking ceremony at Napier Elementary School in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. The Metro Nashville Public Schools say this will help kids learn through outdoor play and "The Little Red Hen" and "The Three Little Pigs" will figure prominently in the design.

"We know that we cannot and should not do this work alone," Battle told the crowd.

While exact details are still being worked out, the outdoor space will have a fairy tale theme and include child-height panels that walk kids through "The Little Red Hen" and "The Three Little Pigs." Each panel will have tips on how to discuss and engage with the stories. The space will also include play equipment and space for teaching and learning.

The project will begin this fall, with a tentative completion date set for August 2025.

Learn more

The Governor's Early Literacy Foundation has developed partnerships to create 51 other storybook trails across Tennessee, according to its website. The trails spread across dozens of state and city parks, along with outdoor areas around libraries. The Napier Elementary location will be the first storybook trail at an elementary school.

Kyzala Bauman, 4, left, Selmon Ali, 4, center, and Khalyn Salters, 3, sit through the official speeches during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Storybook Trail at Napier Elementary School in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.
Kyzala Bauman, 4, left, Selmon Ali, 4, center, and Khalyn Salters, 3, sit through the official speeches during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Storybook Trail at Napier Elementary School in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.

"Our mission is to strengthen early literacy in Tennessee by equipping children with books and innovative literacy tools that foster lifelong learning," Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation president and CEO James Pond said in a news release. "The Storybook Trail program creates an enriching learning experience by combining literacy with physical activity, allowing children to connect with books while exploring the outdoors."

Find a map of storybook trails and learn more at GovernorsFoundation.org/programs/storybook-trails.

Funding from the project via the PNC Foundation is part of its "Grow Up Great" initiative. More information on that effort can be found at PNCGrowUpGreat.com.

Reach reporter Rachel Wegner at RAwegner@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @RachelAnnWegner.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Napier Elementary students break ground on new $75K storybook trail

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