MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDELTON, Calif. -- The students of San Onofre Elementary School were shocked to return from their weekend, Sept. 21, to find their “ball wall” destroyed.
The wall is a large wooden structure used by the students to play hand ball, one of their favorite activities during recess.
“All that was left was the two main posts of the wall,” said Julie Hong, assistant principal of the San Onofre Elementary School. “The rest was burned to little fragments.”
The fire department responded quickly to extinguish the suspected act of vandalism before it could spread to the other structures or nearby brush, but the wall could not be saved.
The faculty wanted to rebuild the wall as soon as possible, sending a message that regular school activities will continue regardless of malicious acts to disrupt it, said Bill Billingsley, principal, San Onofre Elementary School.
Camp Pendleton Facilities Maintenance Division coordinated with Billingsley to quickly rebuild the wall.
Now, the San Onofre students are back to playing hand ball on a freshly built “ball wall.”
“The children appreciate the hard work that the workers put forward on rebuilding the wall,” said Hong. “They were so grateful and excited that they made thank you cards for those who put it together.”
The incident is suspected as arson, but is still under investigation.