IPS students raise money for playground rebuild to honor late classmate

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The playground at IPS George W. Julian School 57 will soon be transformed in to a park with a purpose in memory of a student who died last fall.

The playground project honors 7-year-old Hannah Crutchfield, who died in September after being hit by a car while crossing the street after school.

Her mother, Cassandra Crutchfield, and a crossing guard were also injured.

Crutchfield says the playground is a place her adventurous daughter loved more than anything.

“She loved being outside, she loved to get dirty, she loved bugs. She was just, she was a bright spot in our lives,” Crutchfield said.

It has been about 6 months since Hannah was killed. In that time, her classmates decided the beige-colored slides and rusty swings at the school’s playground would no longer do.

The students began raising money with a goal to rebuild the playground into something Hannah would love. So far, they’ve raised close to $50,000.

“It’s definitely over 30 years old, and it’s very bland-colored. Hannah was a very bright personality, so the kids want to make it brighter and more fun in her honor,” Crutchfield said.

But, according to Crutchfield, the rebuild process is more costly than the group expected. The next step will be to get quotes on playground construction to see how much they’ll need to raise in total.

“I was pretty impressed by the kids who came up with this idea. Hannah did not get to be at school here for very long. I guess it just shows that she made an impression while she was here,” Crutchfield said.

To keep up with the project or to donate, click here.