School Creates Outdoor Space

FARMINGTON — Farmington Middle School students, parents and other volunteers recently created three areas that teachers can use as outdoor classrooms, according to Melissa Brooks, facilitator for the school’s EAST program.

The idea came as EAST students looked at how to use outdoor space at the school located in an area that is surrounded on three sides by the school and accessible from many classrooms.

The students first decided to design and create an outdoor reading space for teachers and students to enjoy, Brooks said.

As part of the project, EAST students surveyed the school and found that 85% of teachers and 63% of students thought an outdoor reading area would be beneficial. Teachers and students also wanted outdoor seating and shaded areas.

Using a program called Sketchup, the EAST team created 2D and 3D models of how the place could be used with new seating, shade and walkways. They researched the cost of materials to determine a budget for the project.

The students worked with media specialist Shawna Williams on a grant application and submitted it to Lowe’s for its Tool Box for Education program.

The school received a $5,000 Lowe’s grant and with the assistance of the money and lots of volunteers, students were able to complete the project and provide three distinct outside classrooms. Volunteers included members of Casting Christian Church, which meets on Wednesdays and Sundays at Farmington Middle School.

The students who worked on the project were Blake Brooks, Chandler Bunn, Harley Cunningham, Taylor Parker and Jaxon Williams.

COURTESY PHOTOS Volunteers move logs into place that will be used as seating for an outdoor classroom at Farmington Middle School.

COURTESY PHOTO Blake Brooks (left) and Chandler Bunn are part of a student team in the EAST class at Farmington Middle School that created and helped to complete outdoor classrooms at the school. This photo is from last year when Blake was in sixth grade and Chandler was in fourth grade.

Students in Kaci Burgess’ class at Farmington Middle School made good use of a new outdoor classroom at the school.