AMY Northwest Middle Schoolyard

In the Northwest Philadelphia neighborhood of Roxborough, students at the Academy for Middle Years (AMY) Northwest Middle School wanted to fill their schoolyard with nature and fun places to play. Instead, their schoolyard was a barren, uneven asphalt lot filled with cars. Principal Jodan Floyd recognized what a schoolyard transformation offered to students, teachers, and neighbors, and worked with Trust for Public Land to make it a reality.

Principal Floyd, 2018 recipient of the Lindback Distinguished Principal Award, selected 27 students from grades 6–8 to be part of the participatory design process that helped transform the schoolyard into a vibrant play and learning space. The participatory design students had a unique opportunity to develop their science, technology, engineering, art, and math skills through mapping and designing the schoolyard. With lessons focusing on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), students used mapping activities and computer modeling to test different playground features, seeing in real time how their choices had a compounding effect on other elements of their concepts. The design students even surveyed the wider school community and neighborhood, and had hands-on experience with the same data-driven support tools architects and city planners use. After seeing the GIS results, one student said, “Oh, so this is why Starbucks will put a store in Center City, but not mine.”

Students presented their final concept designs to their community and watched as their ideas were brought to life during the construction phase. Now, the schoolyard is a green oasis with a new obstacle course, turf field, running track, basketball court, and outdoor gathering space. For the 300 AMY Northwest students and over 7,000 residents who live within a 10-minute walk, this schoolyard offers a green, active, and safe space for everyone to enjoy.