January 21, 2026

The new play structure at Hughson Elementary School is complete for Hughson’s first, second and third-grade students.

The old bright yellow structure included two different monkey bar configurations, a fireman pole, and additional platforms and activities. Rust and age caused structural damage, rendering parts of it unsafe and unusable.

Funded through a partnership with the Parent Teacher Club, the After School Program, and Hughson Unified School District, the community has come together to replace the old structure, and installation is now complete.

During the COVID-19 years, the Parent Teacher Club continued its fundraising efforts, and with students’ limited opportunities for field trips during that time, the Club’s potential for a large-scale contribution grew. Hughson Elementary School Principal Megan Reisz explained, “They thought contributing to the new structure would be a great opportunity to help do something for the students they serve and agreed to contribute with the district and the after-school program to ensure we got the structure that met our hopes and the dreams of the students who get to play for years to come.”

The total project cost was $149,358.19. The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program contributed 43.5%, and the Redevelopment Agency – Resource 9725 contributed 56.5%. The Hughson Elementary Parent Teacher Club has generously pledged $50,000 toward the District’s Redevelopment Agency-funded share, reducing the final Redevelopment Agency amount.

“The new structure is exciting, bright and brings some new types of play, including imaginative play, to HES,” Reisz said.

Imaginative prompts are built into the structure, inspired by the favorite childhood game of “the ground is lava.” She explained, “The goal is to have students be able to move all around the structure and through the various activities, without having to touch the ground.”

There are activities to enhance balance, such as balance beam activities, stepping stones that resemble boulders, and other stepping activities. It also includes rock-climbing walls, spiral staircases, two slides, two bridges, a rope wall, and more.

Physical activity and imaginative play are vital to childhood wellbeing and development. At Hughson Elementary School, children have access to the playground before school, during their 15-minute recess, during their lunch recess, and during the after-school program. Some PE stations will also utilize the new structure. Playing on the playground and on this new structure in the fresh air and sunshine, “gives them the opportunity to interact with others in an unstructured environment and allows them to use different parts of their bodies and brains without the influence of screens, which many turn to during free time,” Reisz said.

And the children love it. Reisz added, “The laughter as they play has been the biggest reward, as they are thoroughly enjoying their time together playing on this new structure.”

And stay tuned: this summer, an installation in the kindergarten playground will take place, opening up the yard for kindergarteners to make a new structure their own this fall.