Spencer's Eagle Project

We had two tragedies this past year with two students passing away that had both attended Quartz Hill Elementary.  Spencer and his good friend, Mason Romney, decided they wanted to do their Eagle Projects as a remembrance for these two students.  The principle there, Michael Hallock, suggested one boy to have two memorial benches made and the other boy to build a Gaga Ball Pit, which is a game that many 6th graders love because they play it at Science Camp.  Spencer decided to take on the Gaga Ball Pit and Mason chose the benches.  

Spencer and Jashar Brown collecting donations

Mason and Spencer posted flyers and notices that the scouts would coming and collecting donations.  Together the boys raised over $5000 for this project.  It was amazing to see and feel the support of neighbors and friends.  

This project took months and months to organize, order supplies, and finally to build.  I have never seen two 14 year old boys work so hard to put this event together.  We were super proud of them!

The man cutting the wood is the father of one of the students who died.  It was so special that he and his family came out to help.

Here Spencer and Mason are gluing the memorial plaques on the benches and the podium listing all the families who donated. 

A local landscaper donated his time and materials to make the paver benches, platform, and edging.  We can't thank him enough for all he did.  It turned out absolutely beautifully!

That's the look of two completely satisfied and proud boys.

Grandma Chamberlain was in town and she was so impressed when she came down and saw what he had done!

Mr. Hallock had a special ceremony organized at the school with all of the 6th graders.  The band played several numbers, then the boys each gave a small speech.  This project is very special to Spencer in that Kohler's Eagle Project is just a few feet away in the same playground as the Sand Volleyball Pit.  Both brother's projects are side by side.  

At the end of the ceremony, every student took a balloon, made a wish, then on the count of 3, everyone let go of their balloons and it was really powerful watching them ascend up into the sky.  Both families of the students who passed away were present and many had tears in their eyes.  

After the balloon ceremony, they opened up the Gaga Pit for kids to play.  It was so much fun watching kids have a good time playing in that pit that took so long to build.  What an accomplishment!

Spencer's B-Day and Play Adventures!

There are some teachers that go so far out of their way to make school special for your kids that you just wanna give them a great big group hug!!!  Well, the director of the 6th Grade Play at Quartz Hill Elementary was just that teacher.  She was amazing and gave so much of her time and love to these kids.  They just worship her :)

Giving her a group hug!

 The play was titled, "My Heart Is Home" and it was based on the children's book "Flat Stanley."  The play was written by their director and the kids gave up their lunch recesses and one day after school a week to rehearse!

 Spencer is in the back row in the middle.  They sang, danced, acted---and just put on a fantastic production!

 I helped choreograph one of the dances called "Guacamole" - when Flat Stanley traveled to Mexico!

Here is a short video clip of Spencer and the boys doing a stick dance from Jamaica!  Spencer was really good at this!

The whole family, even MaryKay's family, came to support Spencer that night.  It was super entertaining and the kids LOVED watching their cousin up on the stage!

 We made a candy poster for Spencer (instead of roses) and I think he liked it!

OK - switching gears now----his birthday was back on April 19th but we didn't celebrate it until May 3rd because some kids were out of town on Father and Son's campout.  So, on Saturday, May 3rd we took Spencer and some of his best friends to Castles and Coasters - an amusement park in Phoenix.  It was actually a total blast and very clean!  Everyone had a super great time!

 Hailey got to invite Isobel, her best friend, so she could have a girl to hang out with that day!

 Mason, Trevor and Spencer are in the third row from the top---look carefully at their expressions!!!  It's hilarious!

 One of Spencer's buddies, Zach Everton!

 The whole gang:  Mason, Trevor, Spencer, Izzy and Hailey, Conner, Zach, and Grayson.  (oh, mom and dad too!)

 Yep - that's little Hailey WAY up there!  She isn't afraid of heights at all . . .

At the end of the day, the kids came home and absolutely crashed!  I found them asleep on my bed and just smiled because they literally ran their little bodies out of gas!  What a great time!!!