This year, Downingtown East’s courtyard is undergoing student-led renovations in order to provide a positive space for students to spend time in during their free periods. 

“Due to a lack of maintenance, the previous courtyard went far downhill. It was very overgrown and dirty,” said Maren Dougherty (12), who is one of the three co-presidents working on the courtyard renewal.

The courtyard’s renovations are being led by her, Brooke Lauletta (12), and Brooke Steiner (12), who have worked together on most of the planning, designing, and physical work required for the project. They began renovations on the courtyard during the spring of last school year and are hoping to finish the project this year with the help of student volunteers. 

“We are hoping for the project to be finished within the upcoming months and before it gets too cold,” said Steiner. 

After the school experienced tragic events over the past year, the students were inspired to renovate the old and overgrown courtyard to create a peaceful and positive space for the students of Downingtown East.

“We started renovating the courtyard because we decided that our school needed a place dedicated to positive mental health, growth, and change,” said Dougherty.

So far they have accomplished a lot on renewal of the old unkempt courtyard. They have worked on replacing the old pond with a new functional one, removing some large overgrown plants, and fixing the patio and walkway in the courtyard.

“We worked during and after school, as well as throughout the summer to wipe out what was left of the existing courtyard and turn it into a place where students can spend their free time,” said Lauletta. 

By the end, they hope that they will have created a beautiful and positive place for students to enjoy during free periods. 

“Our goal is to make a small but positive impact on students’ overall mental health and happiness by providing this nice place to spend their time,” said Lauletta.