From Poetry to Playgrounds: How LiUNA and Seattle SCORES Built Something Bigger Together
- Sasha Lee
- Sep 25
- 3 min read
A community effort transforms Madrona Elementary’s blacktop and inspires the next generation of leaders
LiUNA x Seattle SCORES: Building Impact Together
This summer, parents, school administrators, and members of LiUNA Local 242 joined Seattle SCORES to repaint the playground at Madrona Elementary—just in time for the 2025–26 school year.
The project grew out of last spring’s service-learning season, when Madrona Poet-Athletes decided to beautify their schoolyard. They started with a gardening project—building compost and organizing planter boxes—but wanted to do something more for the blacktop where they play every day.
“The playground is one of the kids’ favorite parts of the school day,” said Tanya, a SCORES coach who teaches poetry and leads service-learning at Madrona. “The paint was getting old. After finishing the garden project, the kids wanted to keep going, but we ran out of time. They were so excited when they found out LiUNA was going to help us this summer.”
LiUNA Local 242, based in the Greater Seattle area, has been a long-standing program partner of Seattle SCORES. They’ve supported programming by providing healthy snacks, purchasing supplies for the poetry curriculum, and, most importantly, showing up as volunteers. Their mission is to protect, support, and preserve the dignity of union members—while strengthening the communities they live in.
“Before LiUNA, I was working multiple odd jobs. I needed stability but couldn’t find it,” shared member Andrea Ornelias. “Once I joined, I didn’t just gain stability for myself—I gained it for my kids too. The members became my family. Now I get the chance to volunteer and be part of the community. These are things I didn’t have before, and it’s awesome.”
LiUNA’s impact extends beyond schools. They lead efforts in suicide prevention, civic engagement, and nonprofit partnerships, always showing up as an active force in the community. As former SCORES Executive Director Alexandra Foster reflected:
“We’re so fortunate to have these professionals from our community making our schools look beautiful and ready for the year. LiUNA is an incredible partner, and it feels good to be out here making things better for kids—from poetry to the playground.”
On the day of the project, LiUNA members arrived at 9 a.m. to tape off the blacktop, mix paint, and prepare brushes. With help from Madrona’s custodial staff, the space was cleared and ready for transformation.
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A Full Community Effort
It wasn’t just LiUNA lending their hands. Parents, neighbors, and even grandparents came to help paint the blacktop—each bringing their own connection to the school.
“We used to tutor our grandkids and their peers in math,” said grandparent Arun Ganti. “Now we enjoy projects that get us moving. When our son told us about this one, it was an immediate yes.”
Family involvement has always been central to Seattle SCORES. More than half of the organization’s volunteer base is made up of current or former SCORES parents and grandparents.
“It’s always nice to see parents outside of pickup time or the sidelines at soccer games,” Foster added. “Projects like this give us a chance to spend time together without being on kid duty.”
Always Invest in the Kids
The result was a like-new blacktop for Madrona’s Poet-Athletes to enjoy.
“The kids are going to be so excited to see this,” Tanya said. “I think the teachers are too! This is important for the whole school community, but the kids will have the biggest reaction.”
For Seattle SCORES, this project embodies a shared belief: kids thrive when their community invests in them. By bringing together neighbors, parents, and local professionals, the effort showed kids firsthand what it looks like to lead with care.
“Growing up, it was normal to see my bus driver, teacher, and sometimes my dad involved in community projects,” said LiUNA member Billy Hetherington. “It’s awesome to make that the norm for kids today too.”
Our kids deserve to see their community investing in them. And when it’s their turn, we hope they’ll do the same—creating a cycle of leadership, confidence, and change that starts right here.
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