No. 16 Vol. 8
www.mypaperoneline.com
August 2018
Mendham Boy Scout Completes Outdoor Classroom For Co-Op Nursery School
W
By Anya Bochman hile rising junior Matthew Cantale of West Morris Mendham High School partakes in the typical pursuits of a student, this Boy Scout has recently distinguished himself with a community project. A Troop 1 Life Scout with the Boy Scouts for the past six years, and currently assistant se-
nior patrol leader, Cantale designed an outdoor learning center for the Mendham Co-Operative Nursery School for his BSA Eagle Scout project. “I was walking around town one day [when I came across the nursery],” Cantale said of the origin of his endeavor. “I went there when I was younger, and wanted to give back.” To that end,
Cantale initially reached out to WMMHS administrators in September 2017. Following many meetings, research and a design over a span of nine months, the project was finally accepted as a welcome addition to the school’s curriculum. Troop 1 Scouts and Assistant Scout Masters helped Cantale over a fourday period in order to complete construction on the learning center. The completed project features a “circle time” area made up of tree stump seating, a group reading area that consists of six benches, an art class area of six painting easels, a wet sand exploration table, a weight scale and a lunch area of two picnic tables. Though the Scouts had originally planned for an ant farm, they eventually opted for easels as the Nursery requested something more “hands-on” and
Matthew Cantale of Mendham sits outside the outdoor learning center he designed and built for the Mendham Co-Operative Nursery School. Photo by Lorna Cantale.
easier to maintain. A d d i t i o n a l l y, the Scouts planted a forsythia border and an entrance gate to enclose the learning center. “We were hoping for an outdoor classroom, and as a result doubled their space,” said Cantale. “I am personally a hands-on learner who gets bored in the [traditional] classroom, so I wanted to help.” To purchase the
necessary building materials, Cantale set up a GoFundMe page, with a final goal of $1,500. Although he fell slightly short of his goal, with $1,465 collected, he insists that it was the “perfect amount of money,” which more than covered expenses. The unspecified remainder of the funds was donated to the nursery. Aside from the assistance he re-
ceived from his parents and troop, Cantale was aided by a number of local businesses. These included Wicker Basket, Kings, Robinson Drugs, Sorrento’s Pizza and the Mendham Garden Center all of Mendham; Home Depot of Succasunna and East Hanover; Lowes, Walmart and Weis of Flanders; Shoprite and Dunkin Donuts of cont. on page 4