Grades 7/8: Eagle Fund Changemakers Build Music Wall for Therapeutic Gardens Initiative

Inspired by this story, in 2019, Head of Middle School Marti Champion worked with several of the original organization's founding members to bring the impact and lessons of the Eagle Fund to the next generation of Graland students. "I began meeting with Jon-Erik Borgen '92 and Ryan O'Shaughnessy '93 to create an opportunity to involve Middle School students in the decision-making process of granting funds to local non-profit organizations. Knowing how this kind of experience could impact these kids, I created the Eagle Fund Changemakers student group with their blessing." 

Over the years, seventh and eighth graders who have joined the Eagle Fund Changemakers have gained invaluable experiences in stewardship, collaboration, and responsibility. A shining example is this year's group of changemakers who have been working all year to support Denver Urban Gardens (DUG), a relationship that last year's cohort established by adopting a garden known as "The Blue Spruce Garden." What's even more special about this particular garden is that it's intentionally located outside a series of transitional homes run by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. This garden, as well as several others, are a part of DUG's "Therapeutic Garden Initiative," which seeks to curate spaces that promote healing, growth, and connection, especially for children and families "who have undergone trauma, possess unique emotional needs, or seek sensory enrichment." In addition to last year's Eagle Fund Changemakers work of adopting and caring for the Blue Spruce Garden, this year's cohort was approached by DUG to construct a music wall for the space. Over the years, studies have shown that music therapy can be used as a form of treatment for depression, stress, and anxiety - a perfect match for a therapeutic-driven garden.

Following this request, in addition to maintaining the garden, the Eagle Fund Changemakers spent the rest of the year constructing a music wall (see photos) in the Gates Invention & Innovation Lab with the help of Ms. Champion, Mrs. Goski (Graland's Director of Development), Mr. Twarogowski (Charles C. Gates Director of Innovative Learning), Mr. Chavez (Innovation Specialist), Mr. Ianni (Maintenance Technician), and special guest, Ms. Champion's dad! Using Graland's design thinking process, students empathized with people who would be using the music wall, defined the problem that the music wall would be solving, ideated strategies to solve the problem, prototyped a solution, and put the final touches on the project to improve their design, which will be unveiled and installed in the Blue Spruce Garden on May 9. Incredible job making a difference in the community, changemakers!