Desmond Martel

Roberts Farm in Norway is used as an outdoor learning space for School Administrative District 17.

The district has around 250 students who use Roberts Farm every month to learn outdoors, but the current modular classroom is not in its best condition. If we get a new building, the teachers could teach more subjects to kids. Voting “yes” for a new building at Roberts Farm would help SAD 17 improve the space and facilities, so students can enjoy learning there even more than we already do.

Although the trails at Roberts Farm go on for acres, the indoor space at Roberts Farm is really small and needs to be bigger to support learning. We need somewhere to put our stuff down so it doesn’t take up learning space. Cubbies or a closet would make it easier to store things and to get around.

I also think with more space, additional classes could also come and learn. We could be inside while they’re outside, and when we are outside, they could be inside and learn there. With a new building, there could be a bathroom inside, so we don’t have to use those gross porta potties.

The facilities at Roberts Farm are pretty run down. Knowing that the modular building is 33 years old and still standing, we may need a new one. A new facility would be nice for the teachers, so they can teach more and try new things.

Emily Eastman, who works at Roberts Farm, said in an interview, “We do have a kitchen area in our current building; however we do not have enough space to have adequate equipment so we do not use the kitchen very often.”

What Eastman said about the kitchen is true. We don’t use the kitchen very much. She also stated, “I would love to be able to cook more with students and be able to do more with fresh produce that is picked from the garden.”

As one of the students who goes to Roberts Farm, I would also love to be able to cook there, but as she said there isn’t enough space. With a new facility there may be enough space to do that. We also would like a space for eating like in a cafeteria, so we don’t need to take out tables and chairs and put them away after we are done. We could possibly put a roof over the picnic tables so we will be dry if it rains.

Sarah Kearsley, another one of the teachers at Roberts Farm, said “Insulation and water are the two major things that need improvement.” The insulation part is important, because it does get cold in there, easily since the door doesn’t shut all the way.

She also shared that “Because of these issues the classroom is challenging (and expensive) to heat in the winter and there have been times when the pipes have frozen.” With the pipes frozen there will either be no hot water or no water at all, so we can’t wash our hands.

As you can see, a new building at Roberts Farm could offer some vital improvements so more students can enjoy Roberts Farm like the SAD 17 fifth-graders presently do. SAD 17 students are counting on you to vote “yes” to investing in a bigger, better building for Roberts Farm on June 13.

Desmond Martel is a fifth grade student at Oxford Elementary School in SAD 17. Desmond’s favorite experience at Roberts Farm has been learning about and studying the layers of trees.