When the sunshine is bright and the skies are blue, even the nicest classroom in the world can feel like a prison cell to a student yearning for some fresh air.
Fortunately, the students at Clear Lake Elementary have a liberator in the form of Boy Scout Brandon Bunker, a member of Oxford Troop 366.
This week, Bunker’s putting the finishing touches on an outdoor classroom he designed and built as his community service project to become an Eagle Scout.
The outdoor classroom, which used to be an unused and neglected area, consists of six brand new blue-and-gold metal benches arranged in a hexagon.
‘It should be able to seat 30 (students),? said Bunker, who’s the son of Bruce and Deb Bunker. ‘It should be able to handle the average classroom.?
Once the 35 tons of pea gravel is delivered and spread around the area this week, the project will be complete.
Bunker, who’s heading into his junior year at Oxford High School this fall, came up with the idea for the outdoor classroom while reflecting on his days attending Clear Lake.
He recalled there used to be an area with some tree stumps where students could sit while the teacher conducted class outside or read to them. Bunker thought it would be nice to recreate that experience for today’s Clear Lakers and give them an opportunity to learn in a ‘different environment, instead of being in the same old classroom.?
Given the outdoor classroom is located right next to the school’s nature area, Bunker hopes it will encourage kids to learn about the plants and animals in it.
All together, Bunker raised a total of $2,845 in cash and material donations to make the outdoor classroom a reality.
Those who donated or helped with the project included ? Bruce and Deb Bunker, Action Trucking, Oxford Bank, Lake Orion Rental, Home Depot, Grove’s True Value Hardware, Don Sherman/State Farm Insurance, family and friends, Oxford United Methodist Church Men’s Club, Dr. Charles Munk DDS, Little Caesars, Jet’s Pizza, participants in the Clear Lake Elementary Area Bottle Drive, Sylvan Learning Center, Kroger, Clear Lake Elementary, Clear Lake PTO, Mike Kubiak and the scouts from Troop 366 and their families.
Bunker, who’s been involved in scouting since he was 6 years old, is very close to attaining the coveted Eagle rank, which only two out of every 100 Boy Scouts earn.
‘I have all my merit badges,? he said. ‘All I have to do is finish the labor (on this project), and then finalize the paperwork. I should be done fairly soon.?
He will be the first member of his family to become an Eagle Scout.