Mike Richie, District Administrator
Spirit Article - February 2023
The Tomorrow River School District has a new outdoor classroom/pavilion located by the school garden area in the courtyard behind the school, thanks to Noah Spoelstra. Noah is currently a sophomore at Amherst High School. This was Noah’s Eagle Scout Service Project.
Noah had to discuss his project with school district officials and present a plan and scope of work. Once the school district approved his project and scope of work, Noah had to submit his proposal along with the project plan and the final report to the scout council for approval.
Noah’s project was to construct an open shelter outdoor classroom with picnic tables. The size of the shelter is 24 x 24 feet with hip style roofing. The steel roofing is gray to match the rest of the athletic complex. There are four picnic tables under the shelter and one of those tables is ADA compliant; there is a total seating capacity of 32 students. The picnic tables sit on a concrete slab with a sidewalk leading up to the slab.
According to Spoelstra, this project was completed to provide a place for students and teachers to get outside but also get classwork done. Teachers are excited to have an outdoor learning space on campus close to their classrooms. This area will also be utilized during our summer school and our Boys and Girls Club programming.
Spoelstra managed and coordinated the entire project; he was also able to generate 15 volunteers to help him with this project. Spoelstra ordered all supplies and materials and made sure the appropriate equipment and tools were available and on site for the project when needed. Some of the tools used to construct the outdoor shelter included: power saws, nail gun, hammer, shovels, tractor, drills, sockets, level, wrenches and ladders.
A building permit was also required by the Village of Amherst for this project. With the help of the Wisconsin Building Company, all of the trusses had state approved stamps on them so the project did not have to be sent to the state for approval.
Spoelstra explained that there were eight steps involved in this project: 1. wait for the poured concrete to cure, 2. select date of construction delivery of material, 3. prepare for delivery of material, 4. request help from volunteers, 5. construct shelter, 6. put together picnic tables, 7. complete finishing touches on the project, and, finally, 8. finish Eagle Scout paperwork!
Safety was also a factor and a big concern while the shelter was being constructed. All workers were required to wear safety glasses and gloves. Ear plugs or ear muffs were also recommended, and power tools were only handled by adults.
Spoelstra stated “I learned a lot about leadership and a lot about the construction of a building. Being able to lead a group of scouts and adult leaders to create this shelter, along with putting together four picnic tables, was a fantastic experience for me to sharpen my leadership skills and give back to the community which has supported me greatly. I hope to see this project used for the benefit of the students in all grades of the school as an area to productively learn outside. I hope that this project will be beneficial to the entirety of the Amherst community.”
A big thank you goes to Noah Spoelstra, his family and all volunteers. This is a great addition to the Tomorrow River School District and will be enjoyed for many years to come by students and staff. Congratulations to Noah for a job well done. Spoelstra is in the process of finishing up his paperwork and once this is approved by the scout council and scout board of review, he will have achieved the rank of an Eagle Scout!
