Cortez Ups Its Al Fresco Lunch and Learning Game

For the 135 students at Children’s Kiva Montessori School, one of only two middle schools in Cortez, lunchtime is an adventure: Meals are eaten outside on the picnic tables, tarps, and broken asphalt that stand in for a community cafeteria. While staff at this multi-disciplinary STEAM school good-naturedly acknowledge some benefits of being connected to the elements, ultimately, not having a usable outdoor gathering space for lunches, instructional time, and small group activities (including art projects) is a problem. In fact, the students themselves even requested an outdoor lunch and gathering space to improve their educational experience. The solution—transforming the walled asphalt lot adjoining the school into a vibrant, landscaped, multi-purpose arena—is expensive, so school staff approached LOR for help. LOR’s funding will support replacing the torn-up asphalt and adding 10 picnic tables for myriad uses.