While attending a DeKalb County school board meeting last year, Renate Herod first learned about the existence of an organization called KaBOOM!

Herod, who was Chesnut Charter Elementary School's PTA president at the time, made a beeline to her computer after returning home to garner more information about the national nonprofit organization.

"Once I learned more about KaBOOM!, I immediately submitted a very detailed application in hopes that we would [be] chosen by KaBOOM! to build a new playground at our school."