Students win approval to solicit donations for outdoor classrooms; committee okays up to $10,000 for courtyard seating

High‑school students presented diagrams and a wish list for movable outdoor furniture at the Blackstone–Millville Regional School Committee’s June 22 meeting, and the committee voted to allow the students to solicit donations and to allocate up to $10,000 to increase courtyard seating.

Madison Healy and Ronan Mahan (students in their US history civics class) said their project aims to reduce crowding in the courtyard and give teachers flexible outdoor teaching space. The students showed an overhead diagram of possible furniture placement, suggested an Amazon wish list and described a local outreach letter to potential donors.

Committee members discussed practical matters: the durability of furniture, storage needs, whether to prioritize heavy-duty, long-lasting picnic tables for permanent outdoor placement, and starting with additional matching purple metal picnic tables to maintain visual consistency. One member suggested clearing a garage under the gym to store cushions and other movable items.

The committee first voted to allow the students to send solicitation letters to local stores and vendors. It then considered and approved a separate motion to allocate up to $10,000 from this fiscal year’s funds to double courtyard seating, with a unanimous voice vote. The committee asked students to work with principals and staff (including maintenance and the building principal) to plan storage and ensure safety; members also encouraged the students to treat the project as an ongoing class project that could earn them a grade next year.

Quotes and context: “If we could double that right now and then see where they end up with — I’m talking about the metal, the purple ones that we painted just so we have some consistency out there,” the chair said when discussing immediate purchases. Students emphasized that most suggested items would be movable rather than permanently installed.

What’s next: Students can begin outreach using the approved letter and donations will be accepted if they meet district guidance. Staff were asked to assess storage options and return with implementation suggestions as needed.