A former Daniel Axford (DA) Elementary student returned to his old stomping ground Friday afternoon to create quiet outdoor space where students can read, learn and develop an appreciation for the natural world.

As part of his efforts to attain the rank of Eagle Scout, D.J. Moore, a member of Boy Scout Troop 366, oversaw the installation of five planter boxes on the school’s west side.

Each 4-foot-by-8-foot box was filled with dirt by a group of scouts, teachers, adult volunteers and students from DA and Oxford elementary schools.

Once the soil was in place, sunflower seeds were planted. Members of DA’s Green Team, an afterschool environmental club, will be responsible for tending to them over the summer.

“It went smoothly” said Moore, a Life Scout and junior at Oxford High School. “We had estimated it would take two hours. It took an hour, exactly.”

Moore’s goal was to create a little place where DA students can relax and enjoy a good book when the weather is nice.

A bench made of 2,500 recycled milk jugs will soon be added to the area to provide seating, he noted.

Moore has strong ties to DA. Not only was he a student there 10 years ago, his mother, Jennifer Moore, works there as a school librarian.

Lee Phillips, a second-grade teacher at DA, and Rita Flynn, the International Baccalaureate coordinator for DA and OES, were thrilled with Moore’s project.

“It’s amazing,” Phillips said

“It’s exactly what our blueprint looked like,” Flynn said. “It was really a community effort. We couldn’t have done it without (everybody).”

In addition to providing a pleasant spot to read, Moore said students will be able to use the area for science lessons and activities, such as studying plants and how they grow. “It’s very versatile,” he said.

Flynn is excited about developmental kindergarten students being able to harvest the sunflowers and dissect them as part of their curriculum.

Moore has been active in scouting since he was a first-grader at DA. He’s grateful for the “leadership skills” it has taught him over the years.

“I’ve learned how to be comfortable with (leading people) and how to command attention,” he said.

Outside of scouting, Moore plays the alto saxophone as part of the OHS jazz and marching bands.

After high school, Moore plans to attend college and study chemical engineering. He would like to focus on working with renewable energy sources.