Penn Manor’s elementary schools have become more welcoming to students this year thanks to a group of young men with a couple of things in common.
Noah Johnson, Matthew Julian, Dylan Terry and Stephen Marquette all are members of Boy Scout Troop 268 in Millersville. And they all recently completed Eagle Scout projects at Penn Manor schools.
Noah built picnic tables for Eshleman Elementary School students to use at recess, and Matthew constructed bins for a new composting program at Conestoga Elementary and helped to rebuild the school’s community garden plots.
At Central Manor Elementary, Dylan repainted the playground basketball court, and Stephen added a beanbag bull’s-eye game to the playground area and cleared overgrown brush from around the property.
In all of the projects, the work was completed at little or no cost to Penn Manor School District, thanks to donated materials and support from PTO groups, individuals and businesses.
“The work that Dylan and Stephen did at Central Manor was amazing,” said principal Brian Malek. “The basketball courts were brought alive with Penn Manor blue and gold, and the circular beanbag game has been a wonderful addition.”
The projects have made the playground more popular with students, which is just what the two boys – both of whom attended Central Manor – had in mind.
“It was great to give back because I remember in my days playing basketball at the school we would always have to make up a three-point line because it was so faded,” Dylan said.
Stephen said he’s happy he could give students another option during recess and play time.
“To provide another activity for the kids where they can use their math skills and have a little fun, it just felt good to do that for them,” he said.
The Boy Scouts all attend Penn Manor High School. Noah, Matthew and Dylan are juniors, and Stephen is a sophomore.
They have something else in common as well. Their projects all helped them attain the rank of Eagle Scout – the highest possible achievement in the Boy Scouts.
Thanks, boys, for all your hard work!