WAYLAND, MA — A trendy new playground game has arrived at Wayland Middle School, and students are already going gaga over it.
Wayland Middle School interim Principal Tyler Steffey and head custodian Kevin MacNeil assembled the new gaga ball pit last week, paid for by a $6,000 Wayland Public Schools Foundation grant. The pit allows students to play a new type of dodgeball that’s safer, and more equitable for students of all ages and sizes.
On Friday, incoming 6th graders Harper Ramsey and Mirabell Moran cut a ribbon, officially welcoming the gaga ball pit to the middle school. Assistant Principal Eliabeth Castella and Wayland Public Schools Foundation members Lia Barris and President Blair Ramsey also joined.
Find out what's happening in Waylandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“The goal of the gaga ball pit is to further connect our students’ elementary school experience with their middle school experience. When Mr. MacNeil and I were assembling this one day, a student came out and exclaimed, ‘Oh my gosh! It’s my childhood!’ That was my goal,” Steffey said.
According to the rules of gaga ball, players attempt to knock each other out by hitting or slapping a ball into other players below the knees. Like dodgeball, the last person standing wins. The game has been growing in popularity in recent years, and Wayland has a gaga ball pit at the town beach.
Find out what's happening in Waylandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Wayland Public Schools Foundation supplements individual school budgets with grants for activities and special programs. The nonprofit gave out about $100,000 in grants in advance of the 2024-25 school year for 15 projects, including cameras for the Wayland High School Field House, a Spanish/English communication board at the Loker playground and much more.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
Click Here: 2021 Soccer Tracksuit