Some childhood memories have a way of coming full circle. For 16-year-old Alex Farnsworth that meant returning to Valley Pre-School, this time with a hammer, some lumber and a very special project.
Alex, a junior at Granby Memorial High School and member of Boy Scout Troop 125, recently built and donated an outdoor mud kitchen to Valley Pre-School as part of his Eagle Scout service project.
Having attended VPS during the 2014–15 school year, Alex still has fond memories of his preschool days. One that stands out is playing with the percussion instruments on the playground. Now a percussionist himself, Alex wonders if those early experiences helped spark his love of music.
When it came time to choose his Eagle Scout project, Alex wanted to give back to a place that had made a difference in his life. Valley Pre-School was at the top of his list.
After reaching out to longtime teacher Kim Tawney, the idea of a mud kitchen was born. There was just one little catch. Alex had absolutely no idea what a mud kitchen was!
But after some research, he was ready to get to work.
Over approximately 10 months, Alex took on the planning, designing, fundraising and building, with support from his family, fellow Scouts and local businesses. Tractor Supply donated play sand, Beman True Value Hardware provided stain and Home Depot offered discounted wood, nails and building materials.
Alex admitted that one of his biggest challenges wasn’t the construction itself, but finding the confidence to approach businesses and ask for support. It was a learning experience that pushed him outside his comfort zone.
The kitchen was completed in May, and the preschoolers wasted no time putting it to good use. “I can’t say enough about how amazing it all turned out,” shared Tawney. “Creativity and imagination were flowing and the children were having such a wonderful time exploring and playing.”
For Alex’s mom, Denise Farnsworth, the project was especially meaningful. She remembers how much Alex loved “Messy Day,” a longtime VPS tradition during the final days of school when children enjoy getting wonderfully messy with paint, glitter, water, sand and mud. Seeing her son create something that encourages that same imaginative play for future students was a proud, full-circle moment.
For Alex, the best part is knowing his work will bring happiness to children for years to come. “It feels surreal,” Alex shared. “It makes me very happy to see people playing on my kitchen.”
And when asked what he hopes the preschoolers take away from his project, his answer was simple: “I just want them to have fun with it.” Judging by the muddy hands and big smiles on the VPS playground, we’d say mission accomplished!