ONTONAGON - The students at Ontonagon Elementary School received shocking yet exciting news and they're looking to the public for their votes.

The school district is one of five finalists selected by Le'Ron McClain of the Baltimore Ravens for a playspace improvement grant worth $10,000 from the national, non-profit KaBOOM! and NFL PLAY 60.

For more than a week in September, kids at schools all over the county held national Play Days, in an effort to get kids out to play.

The events also served as ways to enhance local communities in the forms of park cleanup, construction projects and general improvements.

Kirsten Menigoz, school counselor at Ontonagon, quickly jumped on the project when she first heard of the initiative.

"I heard of the idea and we held our Play Day," she said.

Menigoz said the kids participated in rehabilitating the little league field and made a family day out of the event. Following the event, Menigoz sent out the grant project description, and received a quick response.

"The kids are so excited because it's the NFL grant and the kids are familiar with the NFL," she said. "There's been a lot of enthusiasm about the project."

If the district is chosen as one of the two winners, the money will help purchase playground equipment at the school.

"Because we are consolidating, and we're moving to the high school, the money will help buy basketball hoops and playground equipment," Menigoz said. "We're the only district in the U.P., in the state and even in the Midwest in this contest."

In the grant project description, Menigoz describes Ontonagon as a quaint, little town, nestled among the Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior and also wrote, "Although, Ontonagon ... is a small town with lots of charm, similar to those often depicted in popular movies, it is in serious trouble. With a population of less than 2,000, and steadily declining due to the failing economy, the elementary school and high school are being forced to consolidate. This consolidation leaves our elementary and middle school children without a playground for safe play."

Menigoz goes on to explain the state of Ontonagon, with the closing of the paper mill and other businesses being forced to close their doors in the process.

"With that said, this community is overall strong and positive. Ontonagon has been forced to pull together in the past and will do so again," she wrote.

Hoping the NFL Play 60 Play Day grant will pull through for the students in Ontonagon, Menigoz explains the dire need for playground equipment.

Out of this, Play Ontonagon! was born.

Play Ontonagon! involved hosting a family day of fun, which included making homemade apple cider, rehabilitating the aging little league field and hosting a mile fun walk.

"The Kaboom! - NFL Play 60 Play Day Grant would add huge value to our play space by allowing us to purchase amenities that the new playground will need. We would purchase items such as basketball hoops, picnic tables, benches, trash cans, a drinking fountain or any other such equipment to enhance our space," she wrote.

After submitting the request, Menigoz received an e-mail that said Ontonagon is one of five finalists in the contest. Selected from 1,000 different Play Days that took place in September, the public is welcome to log onto a Web site to pick Ontonagon to be one of two winners. Anyone is welcome to log onto the Web site and vote for Ontonagon as many times as they like, she said.

"Now we need your help," she said. "To receive the grant, we need you to vote for our Play Day as your favorite."

To vote for Ontonagon Elementary School, visit kaboom.org/playday and scroll to find the event titled "Ontonagon Play Day." There is a quick video to watch about Ontonagon's Play Day and the other four finalists and then click the "vote" button.

"You can vote once every 24 hours from now until Dec. 1," she said. "Our kids need your help. The more times you vote, the better our chance to receive the grant to improve a playspace for the kids in our community."

NFL Play 60 is a program based on tackling obesity in children using the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness. The program partnered with KaBOOM!, a national organization aimed to create great places to play within walking distance of every child in America.

Stacey Kukkonen can be reached at skukkonen@ mininggazette.com.