Volunteers make fun, educational parks

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) --When spring break is over in Waterbury, some local school students might not recognize the playgrounds where they spend their recess.
       
Thanks to the efforts of volunteers, a lot of spots in Waterbury are getting a make-over.
       
In a world of video games and X-boxes, volunteers in Waterbury want children to get back into playing outside and being active.
        
"We know if you help the kids they grow up to be great people, recess is a fun time to get a break from school," said Lisa Rozo, AmeriCorp Volunteer.

All week long volunteers from AmeriCorps have been cleaning and spray-painting playgrounds at Washington Elementary School, and other spots around the city.

The idea is to make the parks more child friendly, so young people will want to get out and enjoy them.

"They spend a lot of time indoors reading which is obviously important, what we really want is for kids to get outside and stay active, cause that's also really important part of growing and learning," said Roberto Henry, AmeriCorp Volunteer.

 At the newly designed playground, children can also learn geography while they're burning calories.

"We have a map of the United States, we encourage them to look at it, kind of look around play with the state and we have some games like hopscotch and four square which is a safe game they can learn and be respectful of each other," said Rozo.

Waterbury isn't the first city where AmeriCorp volunteers have made a difference. Earlier this year they transformed a number of playgrounds in New Britain.