SPRINGDALE, S.C. — Springdale Elementary School has dedicated its newest playground equipment to honor the memory of Faye Swetlik.
Faye was a bright six-year-old who lived in the Cayce community and was a first-grader at Springdale Elementary School.
On February 10th, 2020, the first grader was playing outside her home in the Churchill Heights neighborhood just down the road from the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Soon after she disappeared.
Days later, law enforcement found her body and they say she was kidnapped and killed by a neighbor.
Since then, the community has come together to remember the bright personality of Faye and what she meant to everyone around her.
One of the ways her elementary school wanted to honor her was by dedicating new playground equipment in her memory.
Michele Tymes, Faye's classroom teacher, says the new buddy bench was donated by a local business who wants to remain anonymous. It's the same design of the bench that sits at the park by the Town of Springdale.
"It just makes me very happy. When I see it, it makes me think about her and her message. Just a reminder every day," said Tymes.
A coworker made earrings to honor Faye and sold it online. She used the money to make a donation to the Cindy Ruth Wilkerson Foundation that helps with the playground equipment at the school.
Tymes says Faye was quite a talker and loved to tell stories.
"In my room at the back of the room, there are built in desk areas. We didn't use it as desk areas. We had little rugs and pillows under there and they would sit with their friends and read," said Tymes. "Probably my favorite memories of her sitting under there and laughing and smiling with her friends and reading. She loved to read and just tell stories. She was always happy."
Sunday, June 13th would have been Faye's eighth birthday. The school thought it was fitting to have a private ceremony with the children at the school on Monday to dedicate the new equipment in Faye's memory.
Faye's teacher hopes this area of the playground will make people think of the kind of kid Faye was.
"We want Faye's message to be heard and to live on. We hope that this whimsical, playful furniture and playground equipment that's out here will do that because Faye was such a loving, happy, playful spirt that loved to dance and sing and loved everyone," said Tymes.
Catherine Prosser, a first grade teacher at the school, says she's happy to see the new playground equipment.
"Fay was always so happy and some of my favorite memories of her are out here on this playground," said Prosser. "If someone didn't have anyone to play with, she immediately ran over and wanted to play. She would skip around and sing. So I know that this would have been something that she would have loved to play on in this area."
Prosser says she thinks of love and happiness whenever she thinks of Faye.
"I hope when they see it, that it opens conversation and we're able to explain how wonderful she was and just her memory," explained Prosser. "She'll be remembered forever."
Morgen Sightler, a first grade teacher at the school, would read with Faye. She says the playground was a great spot to remember Faye because it was her happy place.
"When everything happened, we really felt that sense of love. Just the outreach was phenomenal. The community really came together and supported us, loved us, did anything for us and the kids," said Sightler. "It was very powerful and we felt very loved during that time and still do."
Sightler hopes people remember Faye's message to love everyone and to always be a friend.
"Just looking at the bench, you can kind of get and gather what she was, very bright, loved rainbows, loved colors just because she had that bright spirit and was so joyful," explained Sightler. "We hope that when kids come in this area, the first thing that they do see is that bench because it's very bright."