Chester PTO Reaches It Fundraising Goal For A New Outdoor Space

CHESTER, CT — Superceding their initial fundraising goal of $12,500 to fund the proposed open-air meeting space at Chester Elementary School (CES), the CES PTO has successfully raised $13,200 as of Tuesday evening. The campaign will be accepting donations until April 2.

Raising these funds is great news for the project's future!

Building on the assumption that kids and nature go hand and hand, the hope is that the outdoor learning space, which will also lend itself to town activities, will be in place and ready for use in the fall of the 2021-2022 school year.

The idea sprung from gratitude and a want to give back to the school for its excellence in education and innovative teaching initiatives that greatly benefited the learning and growth of Lol and Charlene Fearon's grandson, who attended the school for seven years.

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The Fearon's, retired educators, know first hand how important the formative years of learning are for the intellectual, emotional and social growth of children. To that end, they wanted to do something special for the school as a thank you message. Their idea came about last spring, just as Covid was hitting hard and the couple's love of nature and education were united in the notion of an outdoor learning space to be constructed at Chester Elementary School.

This stunning new addition will be a fully functioning workspace for students and small community gatherings alike. There will be a clear covered roof structure to allow in sunshine while protecting from the elements, planters and trellises for garden growing opportunities, write-able surfaces for instruction and learning, creative seating, and even internet access for students.

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