Leadership St. Pete class transforms school play yard
The 38 members of Leadership St. Pete’s class of 2025 fulfilled their community project promise May 17 by transforming the tired play area of a South St. Pete private school into something special.
The yard at Infinite Potential Learning Academy, 1900 12th Street S., had seen better days.
“It didn’t look like a place where you’d necessarily want to go play, and use your imagination and be a kid,” said Lauren Moon, event chair for the current Leadership St. Pete class.
Recalled Infinite Potential founder Twanna Monroe: “It was all dirt and sand. They brought so much dirt into the building; we were cleaning floors on hands and knees, every day.
“When they walk outside now, I see smiles on their faces as they’re running to play. Before, they would just find a place to sit because they didn’t want to have dirt on their shoes. It has totally transcended the way they see outdoor play.”
For Moon, “I think that’s the beautiful thing about what we were able to do, bring life and a vibrant energy to that space.”
Work Day was all about sweat equity. Working from 8 a.m. until 5 in the afternoon, the class installed monkey bars, two swing sets, 10 picnic tables, soccer goals, Adirondack chairs, umbrellas and a moon crater, and planted a “garden zone.” They unloaded and spread 850 bags of mulch.
Earlier, irrigation pipes had been run under the lawn, the 800-plus square feet soccer field had been planted with high-quality sod, and the cracked and faded basketball court re-made with fresh concrete.
Mayor Ken Welch spoke at the ribbon cutting May 22.
At the May 22 ribbon cutting: Mayor Ken Welch and other dignitaries celebrate alongside Twanna Monroe (with scissors), students, faculty and friends.
“On the Friday after the ribbon cutting,” Moon explained, “we had a chance to go and see quote-unquote the doors being flung open. They sent the littles out first – I think it was the kindergartners – and we got hugs, ‘Thank you for our playground!’ It was just magical.
“And there were more kids than there were swings. But they all took turns, they all had a great time. It was so cool to see them being kids, playing, but playing together.”
Founded in 2010, Infinite Potential has an enrollment of Pre-K students through Grade 5. The play yard is open to the community, after school hours. “We decided to do that because there wasn’t a playground in this neighborhood,” Monroe explained. “Where kids did not have to cross busy, main streets. They had nowhere to go to play.”
One of the nation’s oldest leadership programs, Leadership St. Pete was establish by the Chamber of Commerce in 1970. The annual community project is part of the group’s commitment to “giving back.”
Past projects include renovations to St. Pete Youth Farm, Allendale Equity & Justice Center, Clam Bayou Marine Education Center and the Mustard Seed Inn.
LSP ’25 – which began working and learning as a unit at the beginning of the year – raised approximately $50,000 for the Infinite Learning project.
“It’s a chance for us to re-invest in a community that has actively invested in us over the last six months,” said Moon. “It’s a chance for us to create a physical and lasting contribution.
“For us, the playground was also just a really cool way to give back to a school that’s doing a lot to be a part of their community. To raise good learners and creative minds. To raise future leaders.”
Monroe agreed, saying that the effects – all positive – are mental as well as physical. “When you walk out into your neighborhood, what do you see? So that means whatever you see is what you become, or that’s what you feel good about. It’s like going home to a clean house, as opposed to walking into your house and it’s full of clutter.
“And just the mental relaxation you get from walking out there, into a zen space … to find a quiet space to sit and think. And re-ignite whatever fires need to be lit.”
