Garfield Elementary playground sees colorful improvements
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, September 30, 2025
EVERETT — Community members came together earlier this month to make colorful updates to the playground at Garfield Elementary School.
The updates include four square courts, a buddy bench, chess boards, a sensory walk, chalkboard walls and murals painted in the school’s colors. On Sept. 12, more than 90 volunteers helped paint graphics on the playground and inside the gym and built decorative paw prints.
“Inclusion was the guiding light,” Garfield Elementary Principal Kathleen Stilwell said a press release Wednesday. “We envisioned a space where every child feels seen, valued, and free to be themselves. From the buddy bench to the sensory walk, these additions aren’t just features, they are invitations to connect, to show kindness, and express creativity.”
The project was a partnership with air craft interior company Safran Cabin’s nonprofit, Give & Grow. The project was the nonprofit’s third collaboration with the district, including makeovers at Hawthorne Elementary and Whittier Elementary in 2023 and 2024.
“This project is a great example of what happens when schools and community partners come together,” Everett Public Schools Superintendent Ian Saltzman said in the release. “The transformation at Garfield will positively influence students’ experiences for years to come.”
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
