When students of Stuart-Hobson Middle School in Washington, D.C. want to play sports this fall, they won’t be playing on the asphalt playground that used to limit their activities. During a ribbon-breaking ceremony on October 11, the school district unveiled its new 13,200-square-foot, synthetic turf playing surface, a beautiful grass-like surface that can be used by students year-round.
Manufactured by leading artificial grass suppliers, the new synthetic turf field will allow the students to participate in a variety of team sports and enhance their fitness levels. This is especially important considering that nearly 17 percent of children and adolescents are obese because of the lack of safe, appealing places for children to play or be active, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The new year-round playing surface can even be used in the rain and has been shown to help reduce athletic injuries when compared to natural grass playing surfaces.
So just how much did the artificial grass cost the school? Nothing! It was donated by the Synthetic Turf Council as part of the organization’s commitment to “community wellness and environmental responsibility through the use of artificial turf.” Without the help of the Synthetic Turf Council, artificial grass prices for a multi-purpose playing field can cost the school district millions of dollars.
