AUBURN - In just a few days, the schoolchildren at SS. Peter and Paul School will have their own place to run around, burn energy and stay physically fit.

That's because on Sunday, Principal Sr. Kathleen Hutsko, teachers and parents will congregate at the Auburn Catholic elementary school as representatives from Team Depot, The Home Depot's associate-led volunteer program, and a local representative from Miracle Recreations, install a new playground on the school grounds.

“It's a sign of hope,” Hutsko said of the new playground. “It's a sign that SS. Peter and Paul is growing, and if we can accomplish this, we can accomplish anything.”

School leaders worked for nearly two years to bring a playground to the building on Washington Street, built in 1948 and equipped with only two basketball hoops, blacktop and a place to play kickball. Students have to walk 2.5 blocks to St. Hyacinth Church to use their gymnasium for physical education.

After hosting fundraisers, such as the Christmas Bazaar last December and a carnival in May, and securing grants from Home Depot and Miracle Recreation, the school is now ready to plant more roots in its quest to expand as the student population grows.

Hutsko said enrollment is up 43 percent since last year, and the playground is as symbolic as it is practical.

“It shows the school is very much alive,” she said.

And the excitement is not limited to the school administrators, teachers and parents.

“The kids are excited just looking at the pieces in the boxes,” Hutsko said.

In addition to the playground, the school is seeking funds to one day extend the building to include a gymnasium. While those plans are still in the works, Hutsko and Jim Plis, parishioner and school board advisory committee member, said the playground was something they wanted to do first.

“We wanted something for the students now,” Hutsko said, “not three years down the line, and it was feasible.”

When it comes to Sunday, the local representative from Miracle Recreations, one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of recreation equipment in the United States, will come to help install the playground on his own time and will waive the routine $1,600 installation fee. That's in addition to the $1,450 grant they provided the school.

Team Depot volunteers will also spend the day helping the installation and that is after they provided the school with a $5,000 grant.

Hutsko said the support from both organizations and all of the families and community members involved with the project has “exceeded my expectations.”

“We are so grateful to them,” she said.

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net