Teen builds outdoor classroom for Island Lake students

Cotton Creek School in Island Lake celebrated the first day of the 2017-18 term Wednesday with a dedication ceremony for a new outdoor classroom.

The space, which includes seats and a lectern made of tree trunks and a weather-resistant chalkboard, was the work of local teen Ian Mininni.

Ian, a Wauconda High School junior who attended Cotton Creek when he was younger, designed and built the classroom as an Eagle Scout service project.

He said he was inspired to create the space by his Cotton Creek teachers, some of whom attended Wednesday's gathering.

"I'm very grateful for how they brought me up in my early schooling and I wanted to give back to them," Ian said.

The tree parts were provided by Island Lake's public works department. The large cherry wood lectern is particularly eye-catching.

"It was (from) a tree that blew down here in town," Public Works Superintendent Brian Bartnick said. "It was perfect."

Ian led a team of relatives, friends and fellow scouts to build the classroom. It was completed in May, but the dedication was delayed to coincide with the start of the new school year.

Teachers will take their students to the classroom for a change of scenery or to work outside while collecting scientific samples, Principal Diane Kelly said.

Students already are excited about it.

"Tons of kids are asking when they're going to get out here," fifth-grade teacher Autumn Teson said.

The project earned Ian praise from Wauconda Unit School District 118 Superintendent Daniel Coles. "District 118 is so proud of Ian and grateful for the wonderful service project he has completed," Coles said. "The outdoor classroom will provide a wonderful learning space for many years to come."