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Boardman Center Middle School to get ‘extreme makeover’
BOARDMAN
When Center Middle School students return to school this fall, it will be to a transformed building.
School administrators and teachers are embarking on an “Extreme Makeover”-style project at the building this summer. The goal is to change the aesthetics and culture of the school, which for the first time will house all of the district’s fifth- and sixth-grade students following implementation of a middle-school realignment plan.
“We are trying to create a school that feels like a home,” said June Baker, who along with other teachers is helping with the Boardman Center Project.
The renovation is intended to extend the spirit of another project, which brought “The Living Room” to Center, to the entire building. At the start of this school year, the school unveiled a living room-style space that is used for counseling services and enrichment opportunities.
The Living Room and school makeover represent a philosophy, Principal Randall Ebie said.
“We’re looking to create a culture of kindness, compassion and acceptance, and one that celebrates the diversity of our community,” he said, adding that a focus on community service is another component of it.
The school makeover – scheduled for June 13-17 – includes new paint on hallways, doorways, lockers and common areas; sprucing up each classroom; art displays; a green space for newly-reinstated recess time; and a community wall featuring a tribute to Boardman history.
It will be fully funded by monetary and in-kind donations, and put together by teachers, administrators, students, parents and community members, Ebie said. “We have a budget of zero,” he said, laughing.
For $100, for example, someone can sponsor the makeover of one of the school’s 56 classrooms. School officials believe making the makeover happen through a community effort makes it all the more meaningful, they said.
The school already has consulted with an architect, paint company and local artists who are willing to donate some of their work.
The school now is reaching out to community members who wish to contribute to the project. For more information, contact Ebie at 330-726-3400.
“What is remarkable to me is that it’s changing the lives of anyone who’s a part of it,” said Baker. “Anyone we have talked to has picked up on the passion we have for this project. The positivity is contagious.”
In her classroom, she and her students have been reading a book about making the world a more beautiful place, she said.
“What does that look like?” she said. “When you work together to create a space that’s beautiful and inspiring, it’s going to have that ripple effect.”
“I really can’t wait until the first day of school to see the expressions on kids’ faces,” said Ebie.