Blue Valley School District officials say a new grant from the Kansas City Royals’ nonprofit arm will help create a more inclusive playing environment at area schools.

Last month, the district received a $25,000 grant for adaptive physical education equipment to be put in the district’s elementary schools.

Royals Charities awarded the grant

• The Kansas City Royals’ nonprofit foundation partnered with Variety Children’s Charity of Greater Kansas City.
• Variety aims to raise funds for adaptive equipment, like wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs and electronic communications devices, for physically and cognitively challenged children.
• The group also looks to add adaptive play equipment and playing surfaces around the metro.
• Officials with the two nonprofits teamed up to present the grant at an event on March 28 at Lakewood Middle School — attended by Royals team officials and mascot Sluggerrr.

The equipment will be for all students

• District officials say the grant aims to give Blue Valley students equipment that all of them can use, regardless of physical or cognitive abilities.
• That means items like beach balls, hula hoops and agility ladders.
• Royals Charities and Variety Children’s Charity gifted some of these items to Lakewood Middle School staff at the March event.
• Officials say this grant will give the district the ability to refresh the adaptive equipment the elementary schools already have.

The district also received a book about inclusivity

• The two organizations also donated copies of the book “Kaden’s Dream” by Jonathan Alexander to the district.
• The book, based on the story of Kansas City 10-year-old Kaden Griffith, is about a boy’s wish to play soccer while being in a wheelchair.
• The book is the first children’s story in the Variety Tales series — a program that aims to help fund equipment for kids with disabilities.
• The library of each elementary school in the district will receive a copy of the book.

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