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Southern Pines Primary School
Blanchie Carter Discovery Park
Southern Pines, North Carolina, USA

Blanchie Carter Discovery Park is a four acre outdoor learning environment located at Southern Pines Primary School in Southern Pines, North Carolina. The project began in 1995 in order to transform a barren, unsafe playground into an outdoor classroom where children learn through play and investigation of living environments. Over $150,000.00 has been raised to date through donations from the community, businesses and foundations. Designed by NLI Director Robin Moore, the park serves the dual roles of a model educational center and a community park.

First step
Cleaning out the scrub oak. 

Areas of Emphasis
Carter Park meets several critical needs in the school and community:

Environmental Education
The park is used for environmental education to teach about the natural environment. The project is not a beautification campaign, it is a learning and natural restoration effort. Through such activities as controlled burns of the longleaf pine forest, students learn about restoring habitat of local endangered species and encouraging the growth of native vegetation. An accessible bird blind, designed by one of the teachers and constructed by volunteers allows children to observe bird life at close quarters. The project has been recognized as part of the National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard habitat program. Bioretention ponds and a stream garden will help students learn about the role of wetlands in reducing water pollution. At the same time, math, English, history, and other subjects are being taught outdoors using the park as a vehicle for learning. Orienteering activities provide an excellent way to learn math and science.  

Inclusiveness for All
Carter Park incorporates as many of the principles of Universal Design as possible in an effort to become a model for inclusive play and learning. Numerous groups with an interest in inclusiveness have assisted with the project. The Lions Club donated $10,000.00 to help make the park accessible to the visually impaired. Braille signs, a tactile map made by children, and a beeper soccer ball are already features of the park. Goodwill Foundation has donated $10,000.00 to help with accessibility efforts. The most appreciated gift has been $100 from the Aktion Club, a service group of adults with disabilities, to buy a tetherball.
    Carter Park organizers realize that accessibility is not simply about ramps and Braille signs. An effort has been made to involve persons with disabilities in the design and construction of the park. The Aktion Club not only gave the money for the tetherball, members of the club dug the hole, mixed the concrete, and installed the tetherball pole. Their involvement is continuing with other projects.

North Carolina Heritage
History is coming alive at Carter Park. The third graders are helping build a log cabin and pioneer settlement, using handtools of the 1800's. Instead of reading about the houses of their ancestors, the kids are discovering firsthand the struggles of frontier living. The children are tending medicinal herb and vegetable gardens around the cabin.

Just Plain Fun
Healthy, imaginative play is not overlooked at Carter Park. Slides, corkscrews, and balance beams are as important for the joyful squeals they produce as the gross motor development they encourage. Classes do "snack track," eating their morning snacks while walking around the park. Loose building materials provide giant building blocks for the kids to create whatever they choose.

For More Information about Carter Park please contact: 

Bruce Cunningham 
910 693-3999 (w)   
910 695-0983 (fax) 
225 N. Bennett St.
Southern Pines NC 28387 
btcunningham@earthlink.net