Building Healthy Foundations Through Play: Mason Elementary Celebrates a New Playground
Healthy communities start with healthy beginnings — and for Create Healthy, that means investing in the earliest years of life. Across the Hill Country, healthy living and early childhood development are two of Create Healthy’s priority areas for giving. It’s about ensuring that every child has the chance to learn, grow, and thrive in environments that nurture both body and mind. That’s why moments like the ribbon-cutting at Mason Elementary School carry such significance.
“Create Healthy’s support is helping us enhance the spaces where our students learn to be active, make friends, and build positive, healthy lifelong habits,” said Ryan Holbrook, Principal of Mason Elementary in a press release from the school. “Mason Elementary is one of 10 Hill Country-area schools receiving Create Healthy funds to improve, upgrade, and renovate their playgrounds.”
Mason Elementary now has a brand-new playground designed to provide students with a safe, inclusive, and active space to play and connect. The new structure was unveiled in a celebratory event on campus, where school staff, families, and students gathered to mark the opening.
The project is part of Create Healthy’s Playground Project to improve access to safe outdoor play spaces for children across the Hill Country. Physical play supports fitness and emotional and cognitive development, skills that help Hill Country children succeed in school and life. By partnering directly with local school districts, Create Healthy ensures that these projects are community-driven and sustainable, built on what teachers and families identify as the greatest needs.
“Investing in safe and fun places for students to play, socialize, and be active is part of our healthy living focus,” said Jayne Pope, RN, CEO, Create Healthy. “Playgrounds have a vital role in many areas of childhood development, including physical health and motor skills, social skills, and creativity and critical thinking. With upgraded equipment and enhanced play spaces, our schools’ playgrounds can be even more attractive places for children to grow, explore, and thrive.”
This playground in Mason represents both a place to play and an investment in long-term wellness. It gives children the freedom to explore, collaborate, and build confidence — the kind of early experiences that form the foundation of a healthy Hill Country future.
