The sun at Southeastern Elementary can be relentless at times, especially in those pre- and post-summer months. If you were out on the playground during peak afternoon recess, you either basked in the sun or tried to wedge yourself into whatever tiny sliver of shade the building managed to throw. There aren't even any trees to help provide relief.

So, the school decided to fix it and turned the whole thing into a full-on community effort.

Southeastern teamed up with the high school’s trades program to build a brand-new pavilion from the ground up. And when we say "from the ground up," we mean these high schoolers did the real heavy lifting. This included contending with very rocky soil at the site, but the students persevered through it.

The high school students poured a solid concrete pad and they had plenty of spectators (elementary students) watching as the big cement mixer invaded the school grounds for the day. From there, they framed the structure and finished it off like total pros.

Building it was one thing, but materials aren't free. That’s where the Hastings Kiwanis Club came up big. Seeing what the kids were trying to accomplish, Kiwanis stepped in and covered the entire $4,800 bill for the supplies. Just like that, an idea on paper became a real, permanent fixture on the playground.

Yesterday, a group from Kiwanis, Southeastern, the trades program and our district office gathered outside for a little dedication ceremony to officially launch the new space. It’s already a total game-changer. The kids finally have an awesome spot to hang out and cool off, and the school is planning to utilize it for upcoming outdoor events.

Huge thanks to the Hastings Kiwanis Club for the incredible generosity, and a massive shoutout to the high school trades students for grinding through the rocky dirt and building something our kids will enjoy for years!