Maxine O. Bush Elementary School

When Maxine O. Bush Elementary School Principal Leslie Saulsby learned about the Project EverGreen “Our Winning Green Space” contest, he decided to enter but never thought he had a chance of winning. His response upon receiving a phone call with the news that his school had won was “I’m shocked!”   As the contest winner, the Phoenix, AZ school received an Exmark Lazer Z X-Series 60-inch riding mower and 30-inch walk-behind mower that will help maintain the school district’s athletic fields and grounds helping to create safer playing fields, as well as an athletic field make-over. The mower package – donated by Exmark and delivered to the school grounds by the local Horizon distributor – includes commercial grade mowers that the school will keep, even beyond the renovation. The school’s athletic and recreation fields were barely usable and presented a safety issue due to an aging and damaged irrigation system, drainage, and seeding that resulted in uneven playing surface that was dotted with bald spots, rocks, and weeds. As a result, the 400-student school – kindergarten through 8th grade – was unable to use the fields for recess, physical education classes, or after-school sports, according to Saulsby, a former athletic director. “This meant our students have half of the athletic opportunities that other students at nearby schools,” said Saulsby. “The fields are a hinderance to having a proper PE and health curriculum as well as having a usable space for recess and activities which are essential to the individual student ...