MIDDLEVILLE -- While other second- and third-graders at Thornapple Kellogg's Lee Elementary rolled snowballs and played football, Jake Maring dedicated much of a recent recess to running laps.

 

He said he hopes his work pays off, getting him first in line to climb to the top of a new "Mack Daddy" play structure after Christmas break.

 

"I like high places better than low places," said Jake, a second-grader, adding that he's already logged more than 30 laps. "I want to be the first one up there."

 

Construction of the $80,000 playground started earlier this month, and Principal Tim Shaw said he expects most of it to be completed by the time students return to school in January. It's been about a two-year effort to raise the funds needed for the new playground, which includes a climbing net installed last year, the massive Mack Daddy structure with slides, climbing apparatus, towers, tire swings, double glider and swings. Wood chips will replace the pea gravel base around the playground.

 

The construction work has left the students with only open space for recess. Shaw said that's when he came up with the idea of the challenge: Students who walk or run the most laps will get the first crack at Mack Daddy.

 

Second-grader Hunter Charles said he walks part of the time, but the allure of rolling snowballs sometimes is just too tempting.

 

"I just really want to play on the new stuff -- I can't wait," he said.

 

Second-grader Claudia Wilkinson said the walking gives her time to talk with her friends.

 

"I want to go on the zip line thing first, and the slides look like a lot of fun, too," she said, swirling her fingers in the air to mimic the spiral slide.

 

Students have a vested interest in the playground: They've helped raise funds, written grant applications, and even made a wish list of what they wanted.

 

Their efforts resulted in $5,000 grants from the Thornapple Area Enrichment Foundation, the Barry County Youth Advisory Council and the Barry County Parks and Recreation Commission. They also received a $5,000 anonymous donation and $2,000 grant from the Middleville Heritage Day committee.

 

Students participated in walk-a-thons and a coin drive, collected box tops and sold ice cream. And the district gave $37,000 budgeted from a bond approved two years ago.

"This is gong to be a community park," Shaw said. "We want kids playing here -- it's for the whole community."