Add B. Anderson School

Schoolchildren at Add B. Anderson Elementary School are confronted with a tale of two cities.

Their community in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood of West Philadelphia is one of concentrated poverty. Right next door, however, in the University City neighborhood, where the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia all have gleaming campuses, a different world emerges—that of wealth, privilege, and opportunity.

For decades, the crumbling asphalt schoolyard at Anderson Elementary School reflected this divide. That’s why Trust for Public Land transformed the schoolyard, with input from students themselves, into a vibrant oasis. Now it’s covered in trees, gardens and up-to-date play equipment, along with a multi-use turf field, running track, and basketball court. The new trees and use of stormwater management designs help reduce approximately 600,000 gallons of stormwater runoff from entering nearby Cobbs Creek and the Schuylkill River. And dozens of new trees producing shade not only provide environmental and climate benefits, they give everyone a place to cool off during those hot Philly summers.

The schoolyard also provides nearly 10,000 residents park access within a 10-minute walk.
Today, the Anderson schoolyard is a beloved community asset, giving both students and neighbors a place to enjoy nature and get exercise.

[Learn more: Our schoolyards are packed with potential. Help us unlock it.]