Devonshire Elementary School in Charlotte has a brand-new playground, and students got to see it unveiled during a special ceremony this week. American Airlines and the nonprofit Carter's Kids partnered on the build, bringing in more than 60 American Airlines team members alongside Carter's Kids volunteers who assembled the new equipment over two days.
The project is the latest in a long-running collaboration between the airline and the nonprofit, which Queen City News describes as a longtime partnership that has now produced more than a dozen new playgrounds across American Airlines' network. The new Devonshire playground was centered around encouraging kids to play, learn, and stay active, according to the same report.
School leaders framed the build as more than just new equipment on the blacktop. Principal Erik Barton Jr. said Devonshire is proud to have support from wonderful organizations, and he expressed gratitude for the investment in the school community, per the station's report. The new playground is expected to impact the Devonshire community beyond just recess, with the outlet reporting it will mean a significant benefit to students at the school.
A Partnership Built on More Than a Dozen Playgrounds
American Airlines has built playgrounds well beyond Charlotte, with past projects landing in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas and even Honduras, the same account notes. Carter's Kids, the organization behind the builds, was founded by Carter Oosterhouse, who said every playground gives children a place to play and be themselves, per the outlet's report.
Carter's Kids frames its mission as part of a broader Build Healthy Kids initiative, which the nonprofit says is led by Oosterhouse and Amy Smart alongside Sinclair Recreation and its volunteers. On its website, Carter's Kids describes the goal as creating vibrant, safe and inclusive spaces for children to play and thrive, adding that the group has left its mark on communities across the country, both urban and rural. The organization also says well-designed playgrounds can do more than provide recreation — they can help forge friendships, fuel imagination and instill healthy habits.
How Devonshire Compares to Other Builds
Carter's Kids has tackled similar projects elsewhere, including a Los Angeles elementary school that received both a new playground and an all-purpose court for games like kickball, soccer, foursquare and hopscotch, according to the organization's own project page for its Los Angeles playgrounds. That location was chosen partly for its proximity to Los Angeles International Airport and the presence of American Airlines employees nearby, with the airline sponsoring two play spaces as part of the effort.
In Inglewood, California, the Los Angeles Rams teamed up with American Airlines to build a playground at Bennett-Kew Elementary School, marking the second playground the airline had built in that area, according to a report from the LA Sentinel. Volunteers there finished the entire build in about seven hours.
Charlotte itself has a tradition of large-scale playground builds beyond this one. In April 2024, the 19th annual Charlotte Playground Build brought roughly 200 volunteers from 17 regional businesses to construct a new playground at Westerly Hills Academy, a project the Charlotte Observer reported cost about $100,000 including donated materials. That build is coordinated by the United Way of Greater Charlotte, which oversees fundraising and works with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and participating businesses.
Back at Devonshire, organizers framed the new playground as part of a lasting investment rather than a one-time gesture. American Airlines and Carter's Kids say their collaborations are meant to create spaces that directly impact children and families for years to come, giving Devonshire students a new spot to play, learn and stay active for seasons ahead.
