Bryant Junior High’s new courtyard is officially here! This new courtyard will bring many new learning opportunities.
Laura Bradow and Carly Nalley submitted a grant request to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in October of 2023. The request was granted in March of 2024.
“I think we started planning maybe two years ago,” Nalley said.
Bradow and Nalley’s budget was $2047. The furniture they required was very expensive, so they had to come up with creative alternatives.
“Most commercial grade tables are two grand a piece,” Bradow said.
The new courtyard will make it possible to bring new learning environments for students. Some teachers have already started forming ideas for new additions.
“I was looking for some grants to see if we could fund a greenhouse, maybe,” Zach Stauber said.
Bradow and Nalley are using the AGFC grant to make the courtyard an outdoor classroom space.
“Our goal would be for students to be able to use the courtyard for instructional and academic work,” Nalley said.
Bradow and Nalley also wanted students to be able to enjoy the outdoors. They picked the courtyard space because it had been there, unused, since the building was built.
“It’s not very safe for them to go out in the front of the building,” Bradow said.
