Disney Volunteers Supervise ‘Playworks' Activities at Aldama Elementary School

A group of Disney employees from Burbank spent three hours on Friday as community volunteers at Aldama Elementary School, where they supervised students as part of the school’s popular “Playworks” project.

A nonprofit organization devoted to promoting organized games, physical activity and fair play among students during recess and lunch, Playworks helps reduce schoolyard bullying and other harmful behaviors, while facilitating classroom learning.

The Disney volunteers played games with students and mingled with them on the school’s playground from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. under the guidance of Playworks coach Jaron Williams.

Williams visits the school several times a week and encourages them to participate in playful or sporting activities, school Principal Paula Cordoba said.

The school’s PTA raises an average of $30,000 per year for Playworks programming, which has been in place at Aldama since 2010, Cordoba said, adding that the activity “builds their self-esteem, teaches them teamwork and helps to make students responsible, respectful and safe.”

Aldama Elementary is the only school in Highland Park that has a consistent Playworks presence, Cordoba said.