Anna LoPresti School District’s security director Richard Kerns was concerned for his students because of the chain-link fence that separated his students’ playground from busy traffic. Kerns decided to do something about it and after being denied assistance by Connecticut’s Department of Transportation, he contacted a local construction company for help.

“I saw that this was a busy intersection and the playground was simply fenced in with a chain-link fence,” he said. Kerns brought the issue to the attention of superintendent of schools Tom Petruny. “It is a pretty busy area,” Petruny said. Kerns said, “I felt the playground needed some protection from the intersection in case an accident was to occur, sending an out-of-control car toward our children.”

Because of the school’s tight budget, Kerns began looking for low-cost ways to resolve the safety issue. Kerns turned to Turner Construction officials, who referred him to a local construction company, Camputaro Construction of North Branford, Conn. The company generously agreed to donate a concrete Jersey barrier, worth $700. A second barrier was purchased, and both were installed where the old chain-link fence once stood.

Board of education chairman Bruce Baker said of Kerns, “He did a great job. Having them there is really a good thing.”